Hackers Exploit Ad Tools to Track Victims, Boosting Scam Efforts

Cybercriminals are using advertising tools to make their scams as “clickable” as possible.

In a new kind of email phishing tactic, hackers are sending malicious PDF attachments containing a link that’s registered through an advertising network, security researchers from HP Inc., said in findings released Thursday. When email recipients click the link, which hackers use to collect analytics on the number of clicks that their messages attract, they’re directed to a kind of malware called DarkGate.

Advertising tools allow hackers to more effectively evade detection and, crucially, measure the extent to which their scam operations are successful in much ...