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Bahama Botnet Cheats Search Companies
Doug Caverly
Staff Writer
2009-10-09
 Insider Reports RSS Feed
Fans of "The Prisoner" - or any number of sci-fi shows - may recognize the tactics of a new botnet. The Bahama Botnet, as it's called, fools the users of infected machines into thinking they're in a familiar environment, but controls elements so that it benefits from individuals' actions.
 | | Bahama Botnet Cheats Search Companies |  |
Search is the arena in which the Bahama Botnet operates. A post on the Click Forensics Blog explains, "Instead of translating 'Google.com' as 74.125.155.99, an infected computer will translate it as 64.86.17.56. That number doesn't represent any computer owned by Google. Instead, it represents a computer located in Canada. When a user with an infected machine performs a search on what they think is google.com, the query actually goes to the Canadian computer, which pulls real search results directly from Google, fiddles with them a bit, and displays them to the searcher."
Then, "[T]he searcher is looking at a page that looks exactly like the Google search results page, but it's not. A click on the apparently 'organic' results will redirect as a paid click through several ad networks or parked domains - some complicit, some not. Regardless, cost per click (CPC) fees are generated, advertisers pay, and click fraud has occurred."
So Google and other corporations are essentially losing money every time the Bahama Botnet strikes. Now, considering that Google's current market cap is $163.2 billion, we couldn't blame you if you consider this less horrible than scams that go after individuals. But still, the situation's not good.
It almost wouldn't be surprising (and it would be quite interesting) if Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo gang up on the Bahama Botnet at some point in response.
About the Author:
Doug is a staff writer for SecurityProNews, InternetFinancialNews, SearchNewz, and WebProNews.
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