Security News > 2023 > September > Microsoft Bing Chat pushes malware via bad ads

Microsoft introduced its Bing Chat AI search assistant in February and a month later began serving ads alongside it to help cover costs.

Security outfit Malwarebytes said on Thursday it has identified malvertising - harmful ads - distributed via Bing Chat conversations.

"Ads can be inserted into a Bing Chat conversation in various ways," said Jérôme Segura, director of threat intelligence, in a write-up.

According to Segura, the malicious Bing Chat ads followed from someone compromising the ad account of a legitimate Australian business and creating two malicious ads, one aimed at duping network admins interested in an Advanced IP Scanner utility and one targeting lawyers interested in case-management code biz MyCase.

"The malicious ads were served via the Microsoft advertising platform from legitimate but compromised ad accounts," said Segura in an email to The Register.

"Bing Chat contains ads as part of the user experience, similar to those you see via a traditional Bing search."

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2023/09/29/microsoft_bing_chat_malware/