Users of filesharing site KickassTorrents on the Chrome and Firefox browsers are being blocked from accessing it due to “harmful programs”.
Visitors are warned that attackers “might attempt to trick you into installing programs that harm your browsing experience” by changing the homepage or showing extra ads on sites visited.
The warning comes from Google, which says it has detected malicious software being downloaded and installed without consent when visiting KickassTorrents.
Its developers told TorrentFreak that the cause was a ‘bad advertiser’ that is being dealt with, but that itself is a reminder of the risks of these sites: as creative industries campaigns squeeze premium advertisers out of this space, the advertisers plugging the gaps will inevitably include some bad apples.
The news came as KickassTorrents’ reported another threat to visitors: copycat sites offering their own malicious ads and malware.
“While we are doing our best in order to keep our site nice and cozy there are bunch of lazy bastards who have simply decided to copycat us,” said the developers. It’s quite the definition of “nice and cozy”.
Tools: platforms to help you reach new audiences
Tools: Kaiber
In the year or so since its launch, AI startup Kaiber has been making waves,…