Theo
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http://thewhir.com/marketwatch/goo020705.cfm
Google Adwords Attacked, Reports Say
February 7, 2005 -- (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- Reports released last week by security researchers identified a means of shutting down or dramatically impacting the performance of Google's Adwords advertising service by artificially generating large amounts of traffic that cause click-through percentage rates to drop.
A network of bots could be used by an attacker to flood a keyword with fake clicks, causing Adwords to automatically disable campaigns using that keyword, making it possible for a partner working with that attacker to grab traffic from that keyword at a reduced cost.
Clickrisk, the company that identified the technique, says the attacks would be difficult to prevent because they take advantage of a feature of Adwords' design, rather than a flaw.
Since the release of the report last week, several instances of keyword hijacking have been reported through a variety of online sources, including one targeting the keywords "Web Hosting," a very popular keyword that has seen high bids of as much as $7.70 in the last month.
Clickrisk says it expects the technique could be widely exploited, and advises Adwords advertisers to monitor their accounts regularly in the hopes of identifying any abnormal activity.
Google Adwords Attacked, Reports Say
February 7, 2005 -- (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) -- Reports released last week by security researchers identified a means of shutting down or dramatically impacting the performance of Google's Adwords advertising service by artificially generating large amounts of traffic that cause click-through percentage rates to drop.
A network of bots could be used by an attacker to flood a keyword with fake clicks, causing Adwords to automatically disable campaigns using that keyword, making it possible for a partner working with that attacker to grab traffic from that keyword at a reduced cost.
Clickrisk, the company that identified the technique, says the attacks would be difficult to prevent because they take advantage of a feature of Adwords' design, rather than a flaw.
Since the release of the report last week, several instances of keyword hijacking have been reported through a variety of online sources, including one targeting the keywords "Web Hosting," a very popular keyword that has seen high bids of as much as $7.70 in the last month.
Clickrisk says it expects the technique could be widely exploited, and advises Adwords advertisers to monitor their accounts regularly in the hopes of identifying any abnormal activity.
