Spotify Ads Served Malicious Software to Mac and Windows Computers

Music service Spotify's ads had begun delivering malware to its site visitors. The malware was designed for serving browser tabs onto Mac as well as Windows computers in an automatic manner, reveals complaints which users made online.

The malware was characterized with taking visitors' Web-browsers onto other malware carrying websites through the Spotify ads. This was done in anticipation that somebody getting fooled would download additional malware. However, with Spotify's quick action towards rectifying the issue, the malvertising assault soon stopped.

Malvertising is described as ill-intentioned or aggressive advertisement, which similar as any malicious software, gets hold over certain functions of the victim's PC. The Spotify malvertising installed actual malware onto the PCs of some end-users.

The problem impacted people using Linux, Mac and Windows OS (operating systems) that resulted in users posting complaints on Twitter in addition to the Spotify Community portal. Apparently, the other malware-tainted websites, a few trying installing viruses mechanically devoid of user interaction, did not have any requirement of the ad from Spotify.

Users encountering malware in the above manner are suggested uninstalling Spotify, although they must as well run an anti-malware scan on their computers by using, say, a Malwarebytes product, the ultimate non chargeable security package in the computer world, only for being sure. Sadly, people may find it hard safeguarding themselves against the above types of malware assaults if they're associated with a trustworthy source as Spotify. Nonetheless, maintaining up-to-date OSs, Web-browsers as well as other software, particularly AV programs, can aid in safeguarding users against this and any malware attack.

Spotify's fast action in response to its end-users' grievances via eliminating the destructive advertisements from circulating that piggybacked on Spotify, helped averting excessive harm to the end-users.

Spotify confirmed that one lone ad was responsible which it had shutdown. The music service assured it would keep on monitoring the developments. Cnet.com posted this, October 6, 2016.

Meanwhile, this is not the only incident when malware has struck Spotify users. For, during 2011, a likewise happening took place when the music listeners saw a virus on their screen in the guise of Windows security program.

» SPAMfighter News - 10/12/2016