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How a Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Exploited Android Phones to Steal Millions

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Re: How a Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Exploited Android Phones to Steal Millions

#91

Post by philipodonnell »

jaclaz wrote: post #3

I seems to me that - besides the specific fraud scheme in the article - there is something else to be worried about. From the article: >The revelation of this scheme shows just how deeply fraud is embedded in the digital advertising ecosystem, the vast sums being stolen from brands, and the overall failure of the industry to stop it. And, more relevant: >Pixalate’s latest analysis of in-app fraud found that 23% of al…

2. seems likely. There are parallels in the real world. Put up a billboard and maybe 25% of the people seeing it will never need your service. Is that 25% wasted? Yes. But you just build that into the price.

Its not quite the same as fraud, since offline you can always argue about brand-building even among non-customers, but the end result is the same, money spent on ads that won't result in spend.

Re: How a Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Exploited Android Phones to Steal Millions

#92

Post by philipodonnell »

detaro wrote: post #90
philipodonnell wrote: post #89

> More than 15 additional websites involved in the scheme reused the same TrackMyShows.tv SSL certificate Anyone shed light on this? How does one website use another website's SSL cert?

At least the one example they link is delivered over HTTP. If you request HTTPS instead, the server presents the certificate for TrackMyShows.tv.

> If you request HTTPS instead, the server presents the certificate for TrackMyShows.tv

But will it successfully connect?

Re: How a Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Exploited Android Phones to Steal Millions

#93

Post by detaro »

philipodonnell wrote: post #92
detaro wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At least the one example they link is delivered over HTTP. If you request HTTPS instead, the server presents the certificate for TrackMyShows.tv.

> If you request HTTPS instead, the server presents the certificate for TrackMyShows.tv But will it successfully connect?

No.

Re: How a Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Exploited Android Phones to Steal Millions

#94

Post by ASalazarMX »

rayvy wrote: post #21

As someone who works monitoring ad network traffic at a large ad-tech company (not FAANG, but just below), let me just say: everyone does fraud . Some don't need as much of it (e.g., Google), but quite literally saying "there's fraud in my online traffic" is like saying "there's tomato sauce in my spaghetti". It's quite literally such a normal thing that I've become immune to even getting roused by it (and remember,…

This month we got two unrelated emails (one from Bangladesh, the other from Turkey) with the same scam: "We have hacked your email account, we're emailing you from it, your password is xyz deposit $800 USD in bitcoin or else".

These guys just send a bunch of emails using known leaked accounts, and a few of these people are going to be scared because they reuse the same password. Since they ask for bitcoin, anyone can see the transactions of their wallets: roughly $6-12,000 USD each attempt.

The risk-reward ratio is ridiculously low, I guess that's the same with ad fraud. Companies would fight a company-sized rat, but not thousands of rat-sized companies.

Re: How a Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Exploited Android Phones to Steal Millions

#95

Post by dvirsky »

mschuster91 wrote: post #82
mellow-lake-day wrote: post #79

That article is an example of outstanding journalism. It probably required tremendous amounts of writing ability, knowing the subject matter, spending hours and hours of research, being familiar with the industry, etc. Doesn't see this much these days. Too bad a lot of journalism died in 2008/2009 when journalists lost their jobs and newspapers were either bought by big players or simply went out of business.

Well, it's Buzzfeed. They have the relative unique business model with their listicles and other clickbait crap financing their high-quality investigative journalism.

What I find a bit weird is that they don't split the brands of the main Buzzfeed stuff and the more serious journalism.

Re: How a Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Exploited Android Phones to Steal Millions

#96

Post by mschuster91 »

dvirsky wrote: post #95
mschuster91 wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, it's Buzzfeed. They have the relative unique business model with their listicles and other clickbait crap financing their high-quality investigative journalism.

What I find a bit weird is that they don't split the brands of the main Buzzfeed stuff and the more serious journalism.

IMHO it makes sense for Buzzfeed - the quality stuff makes readers go to the website, and then the reader can be led to the stuff like "21 Unintentionally Hilarious Knock-Off Halloween Costumes That Are Just MAYBE Better Than The Real Thing" in the "Read On" section.

Re: How a Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Exploited Android Phones to Steal Millions

#97

Post by Tsubasachan »

milesskorpen wrote: post #39
rayvy wrote: post #21

As someone who works monitoring ad network traffic at a large ad-tech company (not FAANG, but just below), let me just say: everyone does fraud . Some don't need as much of it (e.g., Google), but quite literally saying "there's fraud in my online traffic" is like saying "there's tomato sauce in my spaghetti". It's quite literally such a normal thing that I've become immune to even getting roused by it (and remember,…

Beyond this, ad spend ASSUMES some level of fraud. It's baked into your ROI numbers, at least for performance advertising. Probably the main people getting stiffed are the publishers who are offering real traffic, and getting a smaller share of dollars relative to the incremental value they deliver.

Marketing budgets are payed for by consumers. The money for ads doesn't magically appear.

Its why I don't feel bad using ad blockers: I subsidise your shitty commercials anyway.

Re: How a Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Exploited Android Phones to Steal Millions

#98

Post by 2sk21 »

pavel_lishin wrote: post #88
2sk21 wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Half serious suggestion: Could we somehow enable individuals themselves conduct auctions to allow advertisers to access? Imagine being able to say: "I will accept 10 ads today - you guys figure out what you want to show me".

Assuming we erect such a system, what's my incentive to not use an ad blocker anyway? I don't want to see ten ads a day, I want to see zero.

Advertisers would pay me to watch the add in its entirety. Consider an example: timeshare sellers actually pay people to listen to their pitches.

Re: How a Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Exploited Android Phones to Steal Millions

#99

Post by gcb0 »

John_KZ wrote: post #87
gcb0 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

a security blog you can only read after enabling javascript for a dozen domains. Nice one google.

How silly of you to assume one can deliver 2kb of text without running thousands of lines of blackbox-javascript on your device and contacting dozens of servers. Besides, do you have anything to hide? Not running JS would suggest so, and possible help identify you online as the one guy that doen't run JS from your IP range. Welcome to the future.

people here can't understand sarcasm :) I had a laugh, then got sad. but upvoted you anyway.

Re: How a Massive Ad Fraud Scheme Exploited Android Phones to Steal Millions

#100

Post by cf498 »

downandout wrote: post #63
cf498 wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you point me towards credible work determining ROI for online advertisement? Whats the current state of the art? edit: I should rephrase, this sounds hostile. I know there is wide work in influencing people to buy stuff when influenced in person. The interpersonal dynamics are widely studied. I also know, that chumming content and goating works to gather more views, but that can only be turned into a ROI by peopl…

There are two distinct areas of online advertising: performance marketing, and brand advertising. I'm a performance marketer. I make a profit only when ads result in conversions - usually sales or signups for trial offers, but in some cases we do lead generation campaigns for clients as well. We spend high 5/low 6 figures per month, mostly on Facebook ads, with a monthly ROAS (return on ad spend) that beats Berkshire…

Thank you very much for you answer
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