digital advertising Archives

AppWizard

December 20, 2025

Anonymous messaging app NGL was acquired by ‘earnphone’ startup Mode Mobile

NGL was acquired by Mode Mobile, a company that monetizes user engagement through advertisements. NGL gained popularity in late 2021 but faced controversy for fostering bullying and employing questionable growth hacking strategies, including sending automated misleading messages. The FTC banned NGL's availability to minors after a two-year investigation and fined the app million for deceptive practices. Following the acquisition, the remaining three employees of NGL will join Mode Mobile. Mode Mobile has developed the “EarnPhone,” which allows users to earn money through everyday activities but relies heavily on advertising revenue. The specific terms of the acquisition are undisclosed.

Tech Optimizer

December 12, 2025

The digital impersonators: How cybercriminals hijack your brand to launch malvertising attacks

Brand trust is highly valued by consumers, leading cybercriminals to exploit it through malvertising, which embeds malicious code in legitimate ads. Malvertising can redirect users to phishing sites or download malware. Cybercriminals create fake ads that mimic trusted brands, targeting high-traffic moments and using real-time bidding to distribute these ads on reputable sites. The process involves setting up fake accounts, creating convincing ads, purchasing ad space, and delivering malware through exploit kits. The consequences include identity theft and financial loss for consumers, and reputational damage for brands. To protect against these threats, organizations should implement regular software updates, continuous employee training, protective tools, and consider partnering with managed service providers for enhanced security measures.

AppWizard

December 1, 2025

OpenAI Tests Ads in ChatGPT Android Beta, Sparking Privacy Fears

OpenAI is testing advertising features in the beta version of the ChatGPT Android app, indicating a shift towards monetization to diversify revenue streams amid rising operational costs. Leaked code suggests features like “bazaar content,” “search ad,” and “search ads carousel,” which could integrate ads alongside user interactions. Speculation points to a potential ad rollout as early as 2026. OpenAI has recently hired advertising engineers to support this initiative, which aims to utilize user data from billions of daily prompts for targeted advertising. Concerns about privacy and user trust have emerged, with users worried about the monetization of personal conversations. The advertising strategy positions OpenAI against competitors like Google and Meta, who already monetize through ads. The introduction of shopping research features in ChatGPT may enhance commerce integrations with sponsored recommendations. User reactions have been mixed, with some expressing excitement over new opportunities while others feel betrayed by the potential commercialization of personal data.

AppWizard

November 24, 2025

Google experts tell the US DOJ selling its ad tech business would be impossible

Closing arguments in the remedies trial concerning the U.S. Department of Justice's case against Google's advertising technology business concluded on November 21. A federal judge is deliberating on how to address Google's two identified monopolies in this sector, following a ruling in April 2025 that declared Google holds two illegal monopolies within the advertising technology realm. The DOJ is advocating for the divestiture of Google's ad marketplace platform, AdX, which Google argues may present significant technological challenges. Judge Leonie Brinkema has acknowledged the urgency of the situation while recognizing the complexities introduced by Google's anticipated appeals. Google has presented expert testimonies highlighting the difficulties of breaking up its ad tech business, while the DOJ argues that such a breakup is necessary for a more competitive environment. The court's decision could have broader implications for the advertising technology landscape and digital competition.

Tech Optimizer

September 26, 2025

Malware Campaign Spreads Trojans via Hijacked Ads on Facebook, Google, YouTube

A recent malware campaign has transitioned from Meta’s advertising ecosystem to Google Ads and YouTube, initially targeting Facebook users through compromised business accounts. The threat originated from a Norwegian design agency’s hijacked Facebook Business account, promoting fraudulent ads for a fictitious “TradingView Premium” app that directed users to download malware. The malware is disseminated on YouTube through hijacked verified channels, leading victims to a downloader that installs Trojan.Agent.GOSL, capable of data theft and remote device control. Over 250 malicious apps targeting Android devices have been identified, equipped for credential theft and unauthorized access. Attackers compromise verified accounts to bypass scrutiny, altering page names to mimic official entities. The campaign exploits vulnerabilities in both Meta's and Google’s ad networks, utilizing OAuth URLs and ad placements to evade detection. Security experts recommend multi-layered defenses, enabling two-factor authentication, and verifying app sources to mitigate risks.

BetaBeacon

September 25, 2025

Google monopoly news: DOJ seeks to split its ad business; firm moves SC to avert Epic Games injunction that can hurt Play Store and Android dominance

The US Department of Justice is pushing for structural remedies in Google's ad tech monopoly, seeking a breakup of Google's ad tech stack to restore competition among publisher tools and digital ad auctions.

AppWizard

September 17, 2025

38 Million Downloads Across 224 Malicious Android Apps on Google Play Deliver Harmful Payloads

Researchers from HUMAN’s Satori Threat Intelligence and Research Team discovered a digital advertising fraud operation called “SlopAds,” which involves 224 Android applications that have over 38 million downloads across 228 countries. SlopAds employs a multi-layered obfuscation strategy to deploy fraud modules that siphon ad revenue. The applications connect to Firebase Remote Config to retrieve an encrypted configuration that conceals URLs for PNG images containing fragments of an APK, which are reassembled to create the core fraud component known as FatModule. SlopAds generates approximately 2.3 billion bid requests daily, primarily targeting users in the United States (30%), India (10%), and Brazil (7%). Google Play Protect alerts users and blocks known SlopAds applications, and Google has removed these applications from the Play Store. Users who installed these apps from off-market sources remain vulnerable until they uninstall them.

AppWizard

September 17, 2025

Google dismantles huge Android ad fraud network distributing malware through 224 apps

Security researchers from HUMAN’s Satori Threat Intelligence and Research Team, in collaboration with Google, dismantled an ad fraud scheme called SlopAds, which involved over 224 AI-themed applications designed to generate fraudulent ad views and clicks. The scheme had over 38 million downloads across 228 countries and was responsible for 2.3 billion ad bid requests daily, with most traffic originating from the United States (30%), India (10%), and Brazil (7%). The apps used hidden browsers to load attacker-controlled websites, simulating ad clicks and impressions. Google removed the identified apps from the Play Store and advised users to uninstall them. Experts warn that the perpetrators may adapt their tactics to continue exploiting the digital advertising ecosystem.

AppWizard

September 16, 2025

Google nukes 224 Android malware apps behind massive ad fraud campaign

A large-scale Android ad fraud operation called "SlopAds" has been dismantled, involving 224 malicious applications on Google Play that generated 2.3 billion ad requests daily. The Satori Threat Intelligence team at HUMAN discovered that these apps were downloaded over 38 million times and reached users in 228 countries, with the U.S. accounting for 30% of ad impressions. The perpetrators used techniques like obfuscation and steganography to evade detection. If installed through ad campaigns, the apps would download a malicious module called "FatModule," which executed the ad fraud scheme by serving ads through hidden WebViews. The operation resulted in over 2 billion fraudulent ad impressions daily. Google has removed all known SlopAds applications from the Play Store and updated Google Play Protect to alert users to uninstall remaining instances.

AppWizard

September 16, 2025

SlopAds Fraud Ring Exploits 224 Android Apps to Drive 2.3 Billion Daily Ad Bids

A significant ad fraud and click fraud scheme known as SlopAds has been uncovered, involving a network of 224 applications that have collectively garnered 38 million downloads across 228 countries. The Satori Threat Intelligence and Research Team at HUMAN reported that these apps utilize steganography to embed hidden WebViews that redirect users to cashout sites controlled by the fraudsters, generating fraudulent ad impressions and clicks. At its peak, the SlopAds campaign was responsible for 2.3 billion bid requests daily, primarily from the United States (30%), India (10%), and Brazil (7%). Google has removed all implicated apps from the Play Store. The SlopAds scheme features conditional execution, where the ad fraud module, FatModule, is downloaded only if the app was installed following an ad click. The FatModule is concealed within four PNG image files and gathers device and browser information while executing ad fraud through hidden WebViews. Cashout mechanisms include HTML5 game and news websites owned by the threat actors, which monetize ad impressions and clicks. Approximately 300 domains promoting SlopAds apps have been identified, linking back to a secondary domain, ad2[.]cc, serving as a Tier-2 command-and-control server.