What Small Businesses Need to Know About Malvertising

Malvertising is one of the fastest-growing threats affecting both individuals and small businesses. It looks harmless at first. A simple Google ad. A familiar software name. A page that looks exactly like the product you intended to download. Yet behind these convincing facades are campaigns designed to install malware or steal sensitive information.

Over the past year, security researchers uncovered several major malvertising operations that impersonated trusted brands, including AI tools and macOS troubleshooting pages. These campaigns often used Google search ads to place malicious links above legitimate search results. From there, users were tricked into downloading malware or running harmful command line instructions.

This guide explains how these attacks work and what small businesses can do to protect themselves.

What Is Malvertising

Malvertising is the use of online advertisements to deliver malware. Attackers pay for real ad space on search engines or social platforms and use convincing language, familiar logos, and polished landing pages to earn a user’s trust. Once a user clicks the ad, they may be redirected to malicious downloads, fraudulent browser extensions, or instructions that lead to system compromise.

Modern malvertising does not always rely on downloading files. Attackers increasingly ask users to run short one line commands in a terminal, especially on macOS and Linux. These commands often fetch malware directly from the internet, bypassing normal safeguards.

Recent Examples of Malvertising Campaigns

Campaigns Impersonating AI Tools

One set of campaigns used Google ads to impersonate AI related tools. Users searching for an AI utility would click what appeared to be a legitimate result. They were then taken to a page hosted on a trusted platform, which made the site appear authentic. From there, they were instructed to run a command using curl. That command silently installed a type of malware known as an infostealer.

Fake macOS Support and Troubleshooting Pages

Other campaigns posed as Apple help articles. These pages claimed to fix audio issues or verify system configuration. The user was instructed to paste a one line command into Terminal, which executed malware designed to steal passwords, browser cookies, crypto wallet data, and more.

AI Generated Decoy Content

Some attackers used AI to generate “white page” websites that appeared harmless and bypassed ad filtering systems. These sites ranked highly in search ads and then redirected visitors to phishing or malware delivery pages. While these attacks often target consumers, corporate users were also affected.

Across all examples, attackers relied not only on technical tricks but on the user’s trust in well known brands and the assumption that search engine ads are safe.

Why Small Businesses Are Now Primary Targets

Malvertising used to focus mainly on individual consumers. That is no longer the case. Small businesses now rely heavily on cloud tools, AI platforms, and browser based applications. This creates a larger attack surface and increases the likelihood that an employee will encounter a malicious ad while searching for work related tools or documentation.

Small businesses are attractive targets for several reasons:

• They often lack dedicated security teams.
• They depend on third party cloud tools, many of which are frequently searched.
• They may not enforce strict software installation policies.
• They trust familiar brand names and assume search engines filter out malicious content.

For attackers, this makes malvertising an efficient way to compromise a system inside an organization.

How These Attacks Work

Step One

The attacker purchases an advertisement for a popular tool or troubleshooting phrase.

Step Two

The ad directs the user to a website that replicates the look and feel of the legitimate brand. In several documented cases, pages were hosted on legitimate sharing platforms, adding credibility.

Step Three

The user is instructed to install the tool or run a command. Common patterns included:

• A single line terminal command that uses curl or Base64 decoding.
• A file download of what appears to be a familiar installer.
• A “fix” or “verification step” presented as harmless.

Step Four

The malware executes. Infostealers such as AMOS or SHAMOS gather sensitive information, including passwords, browser data, and files. Some variants bypass macOS Gatekeeper protection.

Warning Signs of Malvertising

Small businesses should train their teams to watch for:

• Download pages reached only through ads, especially when searching for common software.
• Pages urging users to run terminal commands as part of installation or troubleshooting.
• Slight domain name misspellings or unusual domain endings.
• Prompts that appear suddenly on support or verification pages.
• Tools or guides hosted on unusual platforms rather than the vendor’s official site.

If anything feels out of place, employees should stop immediately and ask for confirmation.

How Small Businesses Can Protect Themselves

Use Official Websites

Always download tools or updates from the vendor’s official domain. Avoid installers reached through search engine ads.

Establish Software Installation Policies

Limit who can install software and ensure that all installations follow a consistent process.

Train Employees on Social Engineering

Explain that no legitimate support page will ask users to run commands they do not understand.

Keep Systems Updated

Up to date operating systems and browsers include protections that can block some malicious downloads.

Use Endpoint Protection

Modern security tools can detect infostealers or unusual behavior even when a user is tricked into running a command.

Encourage a “Stop and Ask” Culture

It is always safer to pause than to run a suspicious command.

Bringing It All Together

Malvertising is becoming one of the most effective ways for attackers to breach small businesses. The ads look real, the pages look familiar, and the instructions seem simple. Attackers rely on this familiarity to push users into actions that bypass technical safeguards.

Small businesses can reduce their risk by setting clear guidelines, educating employees about suspicious behavior, and verifying tools before installation. Malvertising will likely continue to evolve, but awareness and good habits go a long way toward preventing compromise.

If your organization would like help developing safe browsing policies, training your employees, or assessing your exposure to similar threats, Anchor Cyber Security is ready to support you.