Trojan infects Google Adsense
December 26, 2007
If you clicked on a Google Adsense advertisement and strangely landed on a site that promotes Viagra, gambling, or pornography, chances are you have been infected by a trojan that targets Google Adsense ads.
Anti-virus software company Trend Micro reported that a Trojan called TROJ_QHOST.GC has managed to hijack Google’s text advertisements which prevents users from connecting to page2.googlesyndication.co which is the server that directs to Adsense advertisements.
When installed, the trojan points a user’s browser to another IP address that “functions as a rouge server to third party advertisements about gambling and pornography.”
To avoid having the trojan infect your computer, refrain from downloading or installing any file sent by an unknown sender.
Trojans, as well as viruses, are also easily transferred via peer-to-peer networks (such as BitTorrent, etc.) so make sure that you scan your PC every time you connect to those systems.
