Malware
Malvertising
In Turkish: Zararlı reklam (malvertising)
An advert, often on a normal site or in search results, that leads to a fake page or spreads malware.
Attackers buy ad space like anyone else. A sponsored result for a popular program or bank can lead to a copy of the real site that offers a poisoned download or collects your login.
An ad at the top of the page is not proof the site is genuine. Going to the site by typing its address or from a bookmark avoids the problem.
What to do
- Download software from the maker's official site, reached through a bookmark or a typed address.
- Look closely at the address bar before signing in or downloading.
- Check a doubtful address with the Link Check tool.
Related terms
Learn it in the Academy
Try it
Free tools that put this to use.
- Link checker
Paste a link from a text, email or ad. We open it for you and say what it really does.
- Website security check
Grade a website's security headers, HTTPS and protection against forged email.
- Lookalike domain finder
See which fake spellings of your domain already exist, the kind used for phishing.