Malware ads infect Photobucket, TMZ and Java.com

A string of websites that experience high levels of traffic – including IBTimes.com, TMZ.com, and Java.com – have been affected by malware that has further had an impact on site visitors.

Fox-IT reported on its blog that malware advertising was found on eight websites. Other addresses infected were Deviantart.com, Tvgids.nl, Kapaza.be, Photobucket.com, and Ebay.ie.

The Fox-IT blog read:

“Upon landing on this exploit kit, a few checks were done to confirm whether the user is running a vulnerable version of either Java, Flash or Silverlight. If the user was deemed vulnerable, the exploit kit would embed an exploit initiating a download of a malicious payload. In this campaign it was the Asprox malware.”

Fox-IT’s cyber crime security expert, Yonathan Klijnsma, told SCMagazine.com that a component known as ‘Rerdom’, which belongs to Asprox, was being utilised among the key malicious modules.

Klijnsma advised infected users to deactivate any plugins in their browser that they don’t use and to update any that they do, in order to thwart future attacks.

He said that AppNexus has addressed the problem and Fox-IT has maintained communication throughout to ensure that the malware campaign has ceased to be in effect.

Such well-known websites are attacked due to the high number of visitors they attract. However, there are other cyber criminals out there who target smaller firms in a bid to steal company data. Too many still underestimate the threat to their system and data. Prioritising the IT security department is the only way they can protect themselves from such attacks.