Google Adwords Campaign Snares ~500 Phish

The author used Adwords to cause a link to appear:



Is your PC virus-free? Get it infected here!



Yes, Virginia, in 6 months 498 people clicked the link, potentially opening themselves up to drive-by downloads. In fact, that phrase was the search term that brought up the ad in the first place.



Of the 498, 98% were Windows users, a platform peculiarly vulnerable to the technique.



This is the sort of thing that makes security people hide their heads in their hands.



"Why is your password written on a stickynote on your MONITOR, for God's sake?"

"Well, you made me use one that was so hard to remember..."



Saw the item on Schneier's blog originally.