Netskope Reports 619 Organizations Clicked Malicious Google Ads in Two Weeks

From August 31 to September 14, 619 customer organizations clicked on malicious ads served through Google’s ad platform, according to Netskope. Of these organizations, 62 percent were based in the United States, followed by Japan and Australia, which ranked second and third, respectively, in exposure to these ads.

Netskope tracked 250 Google Ads campaign IDs and noted that 284 legitimate publisher sites were involved in this incident. Google has claimed that it blocked 99 percent of violating ads last year, asserting a zero-tolerance policy for scams. However, the presence of these malicious ads raises concerns about the effectiveness of ad vetting processes.

Netskope highlighted that victims of these ads often encounter a browser that appears to freeze with a fake security warning, which can lead to confusion and potential scams. They emphasized that no legitimate company would instruct users to call a phone number when they suspect an infection. This incident underscores the ongoing challenges in ensuring ad security within major platforms like Google.