Google 'malware' sponsored advert delivers fake anti-virus

Filed Under: Malware, Video

Google logo
"Be careful what you ask for - you might get it."

That's the thought running through my head today after I searched for the word "malware" on Google.

As you'll see in the following short YouTube video I made, a sponsored link right at the top of the Google search results points to a fake anti-virus website posing as a legitimate security company:

(Enjoy this video? You can check out more on the SophosLabs YouTube channel and subscribe if you like)

If you download the fake anti-virus program promoted on the website you risk infection by malware identified by Sophos as Troj/FakeAV-AOV.

We've informed Google about this latest example of malvertising, and hopefully it will be zapped from their database of sponsored links shortly.

However, this is far from the only malicious advert or dangerous search result out there - and it's not just Google which can serve up these kind of poisonous links. Make sure you have your wits about you, and have kept your security software up-to-date.

Hat-tip: Thanks to Clu-blog reader Kimberly for bringing this malicious advert to my attention.

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About the author

Graham Cluley is senior technology consultant at Sophos. The readers of Computer Weekly voted him security blogger of the year in 2009 and 2010, and he pipped Stephen Fry to the title of "Twitter user of the year" too. Which was nice. He was also named "Best Security Blogger" by the readers of SC Magazine in 2011. You can subscribe to Graham's updates on Facebook, follow him on Twitter and circle him on Google Plus for regular updates.