Storm of Apple iPad Internet Searches Spurs New Rash of SEO Poisoning

January 29, 2010 - By Justin E. Gehrke

The Apple iPad has yet to be officially released, but that doesn’t mean the criminal element on the internet can’t use it yet. While they may not have their hands on a production model, it appears the bad guys are already including “Apple iPad” in their webpage descriptions. Known as SEO Poisoning, it is a very low tech way that developers can use to influence the probability that their links will show up in the top search results on sites such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing.

According to antivirus vendors Trend Micro and Panda Security, search queries using terms that include “Apple”, “iPad”, and “Tablet” may result in the display of links that appear to lead to reputable sites containing information and news about the latest Apple product. Unfortunately, when users click on the links, they may be redirected to a maliciously encoded website or one that reports their system is infected with spyware/viruses. Computer security giant, Websense, has also posted an alert on its website, cautioning about this trending threat.

SEO Poisoning is not a new technique. For years, distributors of malware have used the popularity of current movies, products, and, sickeningly, youth entertainment offerings (e.g. Disney and Nickelodeon). Though Google, Bing and Yahoo may take efforts to begin filtering the Apple iPad malicious links, it is impossible to remove them all or prevent them from coming back. Computer users should always be cautious when clicking on any link returned from a search engine. The simplest way to gauge authenticity is by comparing the title of the link returned with the actual link displayed below. If they appear totally unrelated (e.g. Disney title with .cz domain), its a good idea to move on to another result.