NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, White Ops released a public service announcement (PSA) on the global takedown of 3ve – a massive online advertising fraud enterprise that operated from 1.7 million malware infected personal computers at a single point in time. 3ve (pronounced “Eve”), exploited the digital ad ecosystem by making it look as though more people were viewing ads online than there really were. The PSA shows what made 3ve so successful and elusive, ending with a call to action for everyday computer owners to take the FBI’s recommended steps to better protect themselves.
To successfully hunt and dismantle 3ve, White Ops, the FBI and Google created an industry-wide alliance, which included Adobe, Amazon Advertising, CenturyLink, ESET, Facebook, Fox-IT, F-Secure, Malwarebytes, Matt Carothers, Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit, McAfee, Oath, Proofpoint, The Shadowserver Foundation, Symantec, The Trade Desk and TrendMicro. The alliance worked throughout 2017 and 2018 to identify 3ve’s infrastructure and perpetrators, ultimately destroying it. On November 27, 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced criminal charges against three individuals associated with 3ve.
“3ve infected everyday people’s Internet-connected devices to become one of the largest ad fraud operations ever seen, robbing advertisers and publishers of substantial advertising dollars,” said Michael Tiffany, president and co-founder of White Ops. “While 3ve may have been the biggest ad fraud operation to face consequences so far, it won’t be the last. The good news is that everyone can play a role in helping to prevent – or at least slow – the emergence of the next bot fraud of this magnitude, or larger.”
No one wants to be a victim of fraud nor a fraud enabler. People with malware infected computers exploited by 3ve likely had no idea their machines were being used for criminal gain. The PSA ends by directing people to a page on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s website dedicated to 3ve. The webpage details the specific malware used by 3ve and includes FBI tips for how consumers can remediate 3ve related malware and safeguard against future infections.
“We created this PSA to connect with and educate everyday consumers that are not aware of the threat of botnets at all, let alone botnets doing ad fraud,” said Jon Bond, early White Ops investor and advisor, and founder of legendary ad firm Kirshenbaum & Bond. “Ad fraud has become a multibillion dollar problem; this takedown sends a global message that this kind of victimization won’t stand.”
To view the PSA and learn more about 3ve, please visit: https://www.whiteops.com/3ve.
Learn more about tips to protect your computer by visiting: https://www.whiteops.com/fbitips.
About White Ops
White Ops is a cybersecurity company that protects the Internet from automated threats and malicious bot activity. White Ops is the platform of choice for some of the world’s largest Internet businesses. For more information, visit www.whiteops.com.
