Referral traffic coming in from Adtiger(.)tk may be the last thing you want to see popping up on your Google Analytics page. This type of referral traffic is familiar as Ghost Referrer spam, and it is performed via a specially programmed spam bot that includes a combination of different technologies. They allow the Adtiger(.)tk spammers to conduct automatically spam the website while not even being visited the website.
| Name | Adtiger(.)tk Spam |
| Type | Referral Spam |
| Short Description | Swiftly devaluates Google Analytics data, especially when sites with low traffic are involved. May advertise dangerous third-party URLs. |
| Symptoms | Sudden spikes in GA data. |
| Distribution Method | Via PUPs, installed by bundling (Browser Hijackers) or by visiting a suspicious third-party site that is advertising it. |
| Detection Tool | Download Malware Removal Tool, to See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware |
| User Experience | Join our forum to discuss Adtiger(.)tk Spam. |
Adtiger(.)tk Referral Spam Distribution
This type of spam is reported by researchers at Ohow possibly be what is known as Ghost Referral(or referrer) spam. This type of spam uses advanced technologies to exploit the free hyper text transfer protocol(HTTP) and connect remotely to the targeted segment of the website it wants to affect. These advanced technologies allow it to remain hidden and spam websites for long periods of time than the more conventional Web Crawler spamming technique. Hence the “ghost” in Ghost Referral.
Adtiger(.)tk In Detail
Once the domain was analyzed it was established that it was an advertising site and its global rank in Alexa(Alexa.com) was around 2M.
Furthermore, the following technical information about Adtiger(.)tk surfaced:
→ Origin: Poland
IP address: 46.41.144.46
Blacklisted in the spam watcher sites: cbl.abuseat.org; blacklist.spambag.org
HTTPS: No
Furthermore, on the website itself there is information on its methods to use affiliates to advertise online:
From what is observed so far, the Ghost Referral spam redirecting to Adtiger(.)tk is strongly believed to be used by affiliate spammers who have included in their PPC (pay-per-click) scheme. However, this may be just the beginning of the dangers associated with that. Since the spammers may advertise third-party websites via Adtiger(.)tk, such sites may conceal various risks from the user:
- Phishing websites that usually resemble retailer stores like AliExpress, Alibaba, eBay, Amazon, BestBuy and others, but only aim to steal financial data when the user buys something.
- Fake tech support scamming sites that may use scareware messages to get users to call a provided number and make that phone call immensely expensive for the victim.
- Malicious websites that may infect the user with various types of malware, like Trojan Horse malwareor Ransomware variants.
- Websites that promote rogue applications that may collect user data or crash the user PC regularly.
The bottom line is that besides the quick devaluation of the statistics of your site in Google Analytics rendering the data corrupt, this spam may also be dangerous for the users who have clicked on it.
Remove Stop Adtiger(.)tk Referral Spam from Your Site
In order to prevent this referral spam from your computer, it is strongly advisable to take immediate actions to block it out via several different methods. This is why we have provided different techniques for that, and we advise you to use the appropriate ones for your situation. We have also included blacklists of other reported domains that may be taken advantage of by spammers.
There is a method outlined by security researchers online that uses WordPress plugins to block referrer spams from sites. There are many plugins that help deal with referrer spam, simply do a google search. We have currently seen one particular plugin reported to work, called WP-Ban, but bear in mind that you may find an equally good or better. WP-Ban has the ability to block users based on their IP address and other information such as the URL, for example.
Also, in case you feel like you may have clicked and been redirected to one of the domains mentioned in the spam message, and you believe your system may be compromised, you should scan your computer with a particular anti-malware tool. Downloading such software will also make sure your computer is safe against any future intrusions as well.
Spy Hunter scanner will only detect the threat. If you want the threat to be automatically removed, you need to purchase the full version of the anti-malware tool.Find Out More About SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool / How to Uninstall SpyHunter
Ventsislav Krastev
Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.
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