Cut The Red Tape, Stop ‘Google Poisoning’
At this point, you should be aware of what Google poisoning is all about.
But in case you're still clueless, here's a refresher from MSNBC:
You might want to take an extra half-second the next time you click on search engine results to make sure you know where you're going. Computer criminals have refined a sinister technique for tricking Web surfers into clicking on infected Web pages, turning search engines like Google into unwitting partners.
It's known as "Google poisoning," because Google is the biggest target, but it can impact any search engine. Criminals construct booby-trapped Web pages, then dupe search engines into giving them high rankings.
Last week, security research firm Sunbelt Software found that a simple search for something like "funny dog picture" on Google directed searchers to Web sites hosted on Chinese domains. Those who clicked on the links were pushed to install a malicious program named "Spy-shredder."
The massive attack on search engines has resulted in lots of suspicion. Web watchers have become wary about urls ending in .cn. Also, the need for upgraded security patches has soared. For Windows users, it is advised that you set up separate user accounts for your kids to reduce the probability of damage that your children can cause by searching the web.
