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Windows 10 users who run applications using advertising on their systems may be targeted by misleading and fraudulent campaigns that make them believe that their PC is infected or that they have won an iPhone currently.
Several major Windows applications, such as Microsoft News, provided with the operating system, display the ad natively. It seems that many of these ad-powered applications are causing the problem for users.
When a fraudulent ad is selected by the ad server, it is displayed to the user in the application. Advertising opens a web page in the default browser and displays something scary, for example. the PC is infected or tempting, eg you won an iPhone.
For example, a Web page that attempts to intimidate the user indicates that viruses have been detected on the PC on a Web page similar to the official Microsoft Web page.
It may not be clear right away that the message is wrong; Experienced users may notice it and close the window, but inexperienced users may follow the advice and either infect their system during the process, submit personal information to the fake site operator or make a purchase.
A (German) support page from Microsoft Answers already points out the problem. Ingo Böttcher, a Microsoft MVP volunteer moderator, confirms that Windows Apps can open fake websites scary users with viral infection messages or suggesting that the visitor has won a high-end gadget in the lottery.
According to the article, the problem is caused by fraudulent advertising campaigns run on the Microsoft ad network.
Users are encouraged to close tabs or web pages; this will not cause any damage to the computer or personal files. The messages are fake and the computer is not infected with a virus or a Trojan horse, as suggested by the fictional web page.
The affected users can not do anything for the moment. Aside from not running apps that display these fraudulent ad campaigns, the user can not do anything. Experienced users can install and configure a DNS-based ad blocking solution to deal with the problem. Everyone has to wait for Microsoft to launch fraudulent campaigns and their publishers on its network.
Closing words
Microsoft is not the only company to authorize fraudulent advertising campaigns on its network. Google Search has already posted "your computer seems affected" messages on the latter, and other major advertising groups have had similar incidents in the past.
The incident shows once again that advertising, in its current form, presents a risk on the Internet. The only option available to users is to protect their systems with ad blockers.
Advertising companies such as Microsoft, Google or Facebook have to secure their ads, for example. by limiting advertising, before things have a chance to normalize.
Advertising is needed to feed sites like Ghacks and many others, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to fund sites through advertising.
Now, it's your turn: What is your opinion on this?
summary
Item name
Ads in Windows 10 Apps Can Open Deceptive Web Pages
The description
Windows 10 users who run ad-based applications on their systems can be targeted by misleading and fraudulent campaigns.
Author
Martin Brinkmann
Editor
Ghacks Technology News
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