TOKYO (MacHouse) – Several days ago, we started using Clicksor‘s ad codes. The top Leaderboard (728 x 90 pixels) ad shown here also comes from Clicksor. This ad is also designed to open a new webpage to display a pop-up ad.
Sadly, it appears that the ad company does not censor their advertisers thoroughly. About 13 hours ago, visitors to our websites were redirected to a malware scam website hosted at the domain of performanceoptimizer.com.
If you are one of them who were affected by this scam operation, please accept our apology. The pop-up ad function has been indefinitely disabled.
 Screenshot 01 – Source: MacHouse |
 Screenshot 02 – Source: MacHouse |
 Screenshot 03 – Source: performanceoptimizer.com |
The advertiser behind this malware scam operation is affiliated with the website at revenueexplorer.net. http:// revenueexplorer.net/?cmpid=am18 was the first destination of the pop-up ad yesterday. If you access http:// revenueexplorer.net/?cmpid=am18 with a web browser, you can still be redirected to a fake optimization scan website hosted at performanceoptimizer.com. (See Screenshot 01-2.)
Why is it a scam? We don’t have Drive C or Drive D. We run Mac OS. After a fake optimization scan and press any of the buttons shown at the bottom of the window, you will be forced to download a file titled PerformanceOptimizerPre_Installer.exe. (See Screenshot 03.)
What does Clicksor have to say about this unwanted redirection and scam operation? After disabling the pop ad function on our websites, we tried to contact Clicksor. It’s been more than 13 hours. However, we did not hear from the ad company before publishing this report.
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With these kinds of pop up ads, spamming is increased. Advertisers have to keep this thing in mind before publishing any ads which redirects to malware scam websites.