Adware Disseminated Through Bing During ‘Firefox’ Online Search

According to a warning by leading software firm GFI Sunbelt, users searching on Bing for Firefox the open source Web-browser may land on an online site that serves adware.

Different from usual BHSEO campaigns, the corrupt search result that diverts users onto a malicious website namely fire10fox.com is found on the higher rank of search hits as it's sponsored.

Albeit this online site canvasses a fresh Firefox version, any user trying to download it will be diverted onto a different web-page where he's asked for acquiring the offer engine "Hotbar."

States the page, users need to take down Hotbar so they can access the best content. Depending on what keywords are used, Hotbar will display labeled ads inside another browser screen alternatively an interim slider. And, once chosen, ShopperReports will make available companion shopping facilities for the user within a sidebar as also QueryExplorer will make available search via address bar, the page outlines. Softpedia published this on September 20, 2010.

Certainly as per observations, end-users who know about the various Firefox products already have the knowledge that no payment is involved for acquiring the Web-browser and that no additions are required for installing it. But, online crooks depend on computer operators who have less experience and don't know about these kinds of tricks.

Sunbelt with its VIPRE tool reportedly identified the Hotbar offer engine as Trojan.HTML.FakeAlert.e.

The site, although remained online pretty long; however, is currently offline, yet it remains in Google's repository while providing Firefox 3.6.8.

Moreover, news of related nature reveals that there are complains from users about Zone Alarm possibly using unethical advertising tricks though not of the scareware type for thrusting their anti-virus software. However, the worse aspect pertains to the fact that as per a few of these techniques, other security vendors' anti-malware products can't identify a malevolent program, whereas their own solutions can. Besides, they show alerts stating that malware has infected the users' computers, whilst actually that's untrue.

Eventually, to avoid any possible infection, experts advise computer-users towards loading an AV solution, which in addition to hunting for malware prevents access to malevolent websites too.

Related article: Adware And spyware On A Rapid Increase

» SPAMfighter News - 10/2/2010