Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Applications
    • Applications
    • Cloud
    • Cybersecurity

    Super Bowl Sunday Web Commercials Top Target for Cyber-Criminals

    By
    Fahmida Y. Rashid
    -
    February 4, 2011
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Cyber-criminals will be disguising malware and phishing scams as Super Bowl commercials and related advertisements to trick unsuspecting viewers, warned security researchers at PC Tools on Feb. 3.

      The Super Bowl is never just about football, although there will be plenty, as the Green Bay Packers and Pittsbugh Steelers go head-to-head this Sunday at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It’s also about the explosion of commercials, splashy Web campaigns and almost non-stop online chatter about the big game.

      Attackers will exploit the interest with “record-breaking numbers of online threats and cyber attacks” designed to steal personal data or download malware, according to Eric Klein, a marketing manager at PC Tools, and Richard Clooke, a program manager at PC Tools.

      “The Super Bowl is one of the biggest ad events of the year and advertisers focus on extensive online and social media campaigns,” Klein told eWEEK.

      The threats weren’t new, as attackers have long been using fake ads and hacked video files as part of their repertoire of tricks, but there has been a significant increase in these tactics over the past few days, Klein said. The threats were also employing Super Bowl-specific images and language, he said.

      Researchers cited a comScore survey from just before last year’s SuperBowl where two-thirds of respondents said they planned to be online reading Super Bowl-related content. The numbers are expected to increase this year and there will be “more aggressive threats, scams and malware activity,” according to PC Tools.

      Attackers have begun “flooding” the Web with fake advertisements, Klein said. PC Tools researchers have seen an uptick in the number of advertisements for work-from-home scams, free iPad offers and gambling sites, Klein said. There were also a number of ads and fake Websites featuring cheerleaders or other football-related imagery and content to encourage fans to click on links they otherwise wouldn’t have, he said. Those links may point to phishing sites that try to get users to enter personal identifying information or to malicious sites with drive-by downloads, he said. The sites may encourage users to download files, which may be scareware such as fake antivirus, Clooke said.

      Many users are searching online to see sneak previews of Super Bowl commercials, or watching online campaigns by various advertisers. On legitimate video-sharing sites like YouTube, or even on fan sites, they may encounter follow-up comments promising a full version of the commercial, or other funny and cool things to check out. With the proliferation of URL shorteners, it’s hard to tell when a link in the comment is malicious, Klein said. Clicking on the links may take users to a text page that doesn’t seem to be relevant, while a malicious script executes in the background, according to Klein.

      Attackers are also taking advantage of flash exploits, Clooke said. When users click on links to see a video, they may actually come to a page with a video player. The user may be asked to install a “more recent” version of the software, which is actually malware, he said. They may actually view a hacked Flash file and it may be triggering exploits in the background while running. PC Tools researchers saw a variation where the player crashed while playing the hacked video, and caused the entire computer to stop working.

      PC Tools researchers recommended users make sure they already have the most up-to-date version of the Adobe Flash player and other software, as well as making sure their security product is up-to-date before going online.

      Spammers and hackers often take advantage of major media events such as the Super Bowl to target users, according to security researchers. For example, the Website of Dolphin Stadium was hacked prior to Super Bowl XLI in 2007. Visitors to the site ended up downloading a host of malware on their computers.

      Fahmida Y. Rashid

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Android

      Samsung Galaxy XCover Pro: Durability for Tough...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 5, 2020 0
      Have you ever dropped your phone, winced and felt the pain as it hit the sidewalk? Either the screen splintered like a windshield being...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Why Data Security Will Face Even Harsher...

      Chris Preimesberger - December 1, 2020 0
      Who would know more about details of the hacking process than an actual former career hacker? And who wants to understand all they can...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×