Bahamas Botnet Generates Click Frauds in Remarkable Volumes

According to security researchers, there is a remarkable surge in click fraud traffic. A newly compiled botnet is generating this traffic by apparently dodging security systems of online ad networks, publishers and Internet search engines.

Click Forensics has named this botnet as the "Bahama botnet" since at first it was diverting the illegitimate traffic via 200,000 domains located in the Bahamas, but the network is currently exploiting websites in the UK, Silicon Valley and Amsterdam.

Security researchers state that the Bahama botnet carries out click frauds in numerous different methods. According to one method, by utilizing common user activity, it converts natural searches into paid clicks. In another, the botnet utilizes its zombie machines to automatically yield paid clicks i.e. devoid of any user-participation.

Understandably, click fraud makes an adverse impact on marketers who expend funds on PPC (Pay-Per-Click) advertising schemes on web-pages and search engines.

Security analysts also state that such impact occurs when a PPC ad is erroneously or maliciously clicked. For instance, a fake online publisher might click on PPC advertisements provided on its website so that more commissions might be generated. This is perhaps what the Bahamas botnet focuses on doing.

Another example of this click fraud - someone might click on his rival's PPC advertisements with the purpose to increase ad spending.

Commenting on the intensity, Paul Pellman, CEO of Click Forensics, stated that among all the innumerable clicks the firm monitored in past 4 years for publishers, advertisers, ad networks and popular search engines, the current scheme was the most advanced, as reported by E-Week on September 17, 2009.

Pellman further stated that the botnet was successfully camouflaging the click fraud traffic generated by its zombies as legal or fine traffic via changing the extent and interval of the assaults against numerous contaminated PCs.

Besides, the Bahama network of bots is also disguising its click frauds' origins to fool filters into perceiving that they're emanating from legitimate and high-quality sources like the US schools and libraries.

According to the researchers, in a particularly worst case, the Bahama botnet had swallowed a good 30% of an ad budget during a month through its click frauds.

Related article: Bank Issues Spam Alerts

» SPAMfighter News - 10/9/2009