Searching Google for Software Downloads Is Dangerous Right Now
A recent report from Spamhaus, a non-profit organization that tracks spam and malware, highlights a significant increase in malware being spread through Google Ads over the past two months. This includes malicious advertising that appears to offer legitimate downloads of popular tools like Slack, Thunderbird, and Tor Browser. SentinelOne, a security firm, has identified malicious loaders distributed through Google Ads, which they have named MalVirt. These loaders are used to spread malware like XLoader, which can steal data from infected devices. Google has stated that it is aware of the rise in malvertizing and is taking steps to address the issue. “Addressing it is a critical priority, and we are working to resolve these incidents as quickly as possible,” the company said.
Sharing People’s Medication Data for Advertising Now Comes With Consequences
The Federal Trade Commission this week issued its first-ever fine under the Health Breach Notification Rule (HBNR). Online pharmacy GoodRx was ordered to pay a $1.5 million fine for allegedly sharing its users’ medication data with third parties like Meta and Google without informing those users of the “unauthorized disclosures,” as is required under the HBNR. The FTC’s enforcement action follows investigations into GoodRx’s practices and data-sharing arrangements.
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Author: Lily Hay Newman, Andrew Couts
