During the height of March Madness, college basketball fans around the country performed hundreds of thousands of searches for brackets, inside scoops, roster information, breaking news, pools, and more. In their hunt for information, many visited unfamiliar websites which promised what they sought, only to have their computer infected and their private data stolen.
Investigators have now concluded that cybercriminals were poisoning Google search results, misdirecting innocent sports fans to websites which automatically downloaded and installed malicious programs on the victim’s computer.
These SEO (Search Engine Optimization) attacks have become increasingly popular among cyber gangs, who had been redirecting hapless victims to sales pitches for worthless antispyware subscriptions. Recently, however, these cybercriminals have expanded their malicious attacks to infect your computer with code as soon as you load a compromised web page, turning your computer into an unwitting accomplice in spreading malicious software and stealing your private data in the process.
Cybercriminals have also begun poisoning Google search results for legitimate websites, taking advantage of poorly written Javascript code on websites such as USAToday.com and Wired.com, exploiting the site’s Javascript by injecting their own malicious code. Unfortunately, experts believe these attacks will continue to spread to thousands of websites in the near future, which means your website could soon become a victim.
Having a security-focused web hosting provider can help prevent your website from becoming the malicious tool of another. Before you trust any hosting provider with your website, ask them how they handle security for your website. At FireHost, we use three layers of application protection to catch, stop, and prevent attacks and manipulation. Our first priority is providing security to our clients, which we deliver through dynamic intrusion prevention.
Once you have taken the appropriate measures to secure your website, FireHost can help provide your customers assurance that your website is secure and safe. We will purchase and install McAfee Secure Seals and SSL Certificates on your website, clearly demonstrating your website’s security and giving your customers confidence in doing business through your website.
To protect your website and business with industry leading secure hosting, visit FireHost.com and contact a FireHost Agent today.
