What started out as pranks by computer geeks (viruses, worms and trojan horses) has evolved to become a multimillion-dollar business affecting the entire online advertising industry. Bad actors harness the value of individual, personal details (i.e., name, passwords, financial data, etc.) or control user devices to execute fraudulent clicks or hold hostage for ransom payments. Whatever the method, both the industry and consumers lose. We believe this research provides the only analysis of online advertising professionals’ perception and understanding of the threat of malware.

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