There is no doubt that hackers work night and day to beat honest people out of their hard-earned money and SEO Spam also known as spamdexing is a hacking technique used by malicious hackers to manipulate search engine rankings.
Spamdexing involves injecting spam content using keywords, links, and even entire pages into a legitimate website. The goal is to artificially boost the ranking of a website in search engine results leading the average user to a malicious site.
How It Works
Once a hacker gains unauthorized access to a legitimate website or creates one that appears legitimate. Many WordPress websites use plugins that are vulnerable to hacking and some websites fail to set proper security configurations allowing hackers a way in.
Once infected they inject spam content into the website which is crafted to trick search engines into ranking the spam-filled pages higher. This leads to users being redirected to malicious sites.
Key Tactics Used In SEO Spam
Hackers do not simply rely on one form of attack. They use several methods to exploit visitors to the website:
They create new pages filled with spam content that exploits the website’s authority
Thye inject false Links that redirect users to fully infected sites
They use a method called Cloaking. This creates hidden pages on a site and redirects content to these pages causing search engines to index the hidden pages instead of the owner’s original content
They use Keywords that can cause it to be ranked higher in SEO and get more traffic
How To Stay Safe
Always check the domain name closely and verify the website’s age
Secure websites should have HTTPS and a padlock symbol in the address bar
Be wary of an excessive number of misspelled words, or low-quality graphics
Use Tools To Help Keep You Safe
Windows SmartScreen
SmartScreen is a reputation-based scanner that continually updates the latest infected websites and downloads. It works in browsers and the Windows Operating System. Click here to see if it is enabled on your PC.
SCAMVOID
Is a website that actively scans websites for malicious content and flags them. If you are unsure if a website is secure, enter the website’s name on ScamVoid and have them check it. They also give you the ability to check both an IP and DNS. They also have a list of the most viewed websites reports for the month on the site.
Malwarebytes Browser Guard
Touted as the world’s first browser extension that can identify and stop tech support scams I highly recommend using it in the browser of your choice. It can prevent redirection of pop-up ads, block Ad Trackers, and stop malware in your browser. It does not interfere with and works well with Windows SmartScreen. You can get it at MalwareBytes Browser Guard
Summary
The smarter you browse the harder it is for hackers to beat you. Here are some ugly facts that should put you on guard to stay aware and don’t let the bad guys make you a statistic.
560,000 new pieces of malware are detected every day
30,000 websites are hacked each day
22,244 attacks happen on the internet daily with a new attack every 39 seconds
My goal is to ensure that users continually stay safe and are aware of the pitfalls created by black hat hackers.
My interest in computers was a natural transition from all things electronics. I was hooked after building my first Heathkit computer around 1976, which evolved into a TSR80 and a long list of Windows computers. My first full blown program was a graphics program which started my career path in graphic design and IT work for 40 years. I now run a small computer repair and service company focused on helping veterans and retirees in our area with computer and software training classes.
