Google has been battling with what it calls the most complex and sophisticated ad fraud operations for years, now the company claims to have obtained a legal backing for takedown of the click-fraud operators.
Working in conjunction with the cyber security firm, White Ops, Google have identified one of the most complex ad fraud operations seen to date, 3ve: A creative and sophisticated threat; haven published a white paper about the ad fraud operation, and steps it took to protect its clients.
3ve (pronounced “Eve”), is an ad fraud operation which evolved in 2017 from a modest, low-level botnet into a sophisticated larger operation that employed a broad set of tactics to run ad fraud. It operated at a significant scale, which at its peak, controls over 1 million IPs from residential malware infections and corporate IP spaces primarily in North America and Europe.
Google discovered that 3ve comprised of three unique sub-operations that have evolved rapidly, with sophisticated tactics to exploit data centers, computers infected with malware, spoofed fraudulent domains, and fake websites.
Through a working group, comprising of about 20 partners, Google seeks to broaden the investigation, and to engage directly with stakeholders to work towards a mutually beneficial outcome.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York has announced charges against this fraud operation, which takedown marks a major milestone in the industry’s fight against ad fraud.
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