CAN ADS CONTAIN VIRUSES
Can Ads Contain Viruses : The quick answer to this question is ads can and do contain viruses, but it is relatively rare. Of course, you have to be cautious while clicking on suspicious or too-attractive ads. Some of these ads may have enticing offers, visual elements or something similar. Thus,it is important that you remain aware of malicious ads, also known as “malvertising,”. Malvertising can spread malware, which can cause a variety of problems on your device.
Malicious ads are typically spread through ad networks and can infect your device through drive-by downloads. This happens when you visit a website that has been compromised and your device automatically downloads malware without your knowledge. These ads can also be spread through phishing emails or social media messages that contain links to infected websites.
Protect Yourself
To protect yourself from malvertising, it is important to keep your computer and device software up-to-date. Hence, it is always advised that you always use a genuine copy of Windows,Mac or Linux operating system and keep them updated regularly.
Plus, you need to bear in mind that ads can contain viruses that can cause damage or harm to your computer. Luckily, most of the current operating systems offer built-in anti virus and anti malware protection. However, for extreme situations it might be necessary to install a third-party anti-virus and anti-malware software.
Ad Blocker
It is also useful to have an an ad-blocker although most browsers these days have their ad blockers pre-installed. Further, caution while surfing and avoiding websites that you don’t trust or are not familiar with cannot be oversaid.
It’s also important to be cautious when downloading any software or plug-ins from the internet, as these can also contain malware. Always do your research about the company or developer and read reviews before downloading anything. Malvertising is a growing concern as more and more people use the internet to access online content, and it can be difficult to detect and prevent the menace from affecting your system. Most of these malicious ads can look like legitimate ads, making it hard for users to tell the difference.
Why
One of the reasons that malvertising is becoming more prevalent is that it is a low-cost and low-risk way for cybercriminals to spread malware. Unlike other types of cyberattacks, malvertising does not require the attackers to gain access to a particular system or network. Instead, the malware is spread through online ads, which can be displayed on a wide range of websites.
There are several types of malware that can be spread through malvertising, including:
Ransomware: This type of malware encrypts the victim’s files and demands payment in exchange for the decryption key.
Trojans: This type of malware disguises itself as legitimate software and once installed, can give attackers access to the victim’s device.
Adware: This type of malware displays unwanted ads on the victim’s device, often causing the device to slow down or crash.
Spyware: This type of malware tracks the victim’s online activities and has the potential of stealing personal information.
Further, it is important to keep your software and operating system up to date with the latest security patches, use anti-virus and anti-malware software, and avoid clicking on suspicious links or ads. It’s also recommended to use an ad-blocker, and be careful when visiting websites that you don’t trust or are not familiar with.
It’s also a good practice to backup your data regularly, in case your device is infected with malware, you will have a copy of your data, and you can restore your device to its previous state.
In short, Malvertising is a serious threat to online security and it’s important to take the necessary steps to protect yourself from it.
