Porn Sites More Infected Than Thought

nk497 writes "Porn sites are five times as likely to host malware as previously thought, with 3.6% offering up a digital infection of some sort, according to a researchers who set up their very own adult sites for a new study. One reason for the high rate of malware is that the online porn industry makes use of affiliate programs, where one site will drive traffic to another in exchange for links, cash, or simply free pornographic material to use. Because such programs don't check who they're doing business with, and sites use disguised links and other clandestine methods to drive people to different pages, it's easy for criminals to abuse the system to spread malware. Researcher Gilbert Wondracek said, 'They inadvertently have created an ecosystem that can easily be abused on a large scale by cyber criminals, and that's worrying.'"

Comments

Weird

[Anonymous Coward]

Weird.

That is WAY lower than I'd have expected.

Alternatively

[SamSim]

I don't know the stats, but maybe it's more correct to say that malware sites are more likely to host pornography than they are to fall into other categories? It's probably the best way to attract large streams of users.

Re:Alternatively

[The Hatchet]

Well, there are tons of ways to attract large streams of users, but I think you are write hear. From what I have seen, most porn sites infected with maleware are literally stealing the porn from other sites, none of it is original, and you can never actually reach good porn, just links to porn that link to virii.

To be honest, it sounds to me like the porn industry hates those bastards as much as we do.

Also, having a stream of users that is not in a clear state of mind, frantically looking for something good to get off on, so they are really not as likely check the credentials of the site or think at all before clicking on something. It probably makes them easier to manipulate, and therefore easier to hack.

Just like in real life...

[GilliamOS]

You might catch something playing the field if you don't use protection!

Bad Advertisers in General

[Bieeanda]

Porn sites aren't the only ones promiscuously mixing affiliates: there's a great deal of it going on with otherwise decent web advertisers as well, with results that range from the merely annoying to just as dangerous. It's very difficult to track the sources down beyond the first few layers because the whole thing is a bunged-up mess.

It's a ripe environment for scammers

[Perp Atuitie]

not only because of the sloppy tech, but because of the clientele. Lots of money flowing from folks trying to lose their real identities and who are less likely than most to try and seek investigations if they get scammed. Doesn't get better than this.

Re:Funny Off-Topic-But-Related Note

[Aladrin]

On the other hand, the kind of person that surfs for porn in a public place is the kind you want to clean up after, computer viruses or not. She's making a smart move, if for the wrong reason.

Re:That's ok...

[Tubal-Cain]

I'm pretty sure he was being sarcastic/rhetorical

Re:Simple one-person solution...

[Tubal-Cain]

...nothing on your HD is touched.

What hard drive? ;-)

Selecting targets...

[N0Man74]

I think most of us realize that scammers, cheaters, criminals, and fraudsters prefer 2 types of targets:

1) Those who are safe/easy prey.
2) Those who they can justify doing it to, or even deserve it.

Because of too many people find porn to be embarrassing or shameful, some people may not want to report or fight back. They make themselves into easy marks. Also, it's easy to find people who want porn, especially free porn (because of embarrassment, lots of people don't want their identities and payments traced back to them for these sites).

Also, because porn is perceived as such a shady thing, it's easy for some to justify screwing over these types of people.

In the end it's about getting away with it without being plagued by a guilty conscious.