A new WordPress ad fraud campaign has emerged under the name Scallywag. Attackers inject malicious scripts into ad placements that silently reroute ad clicks or execute cryptomining logic. Victim sites think they’re serving legitimate ads; in fact, users may be unknowingly funding attacker wallets or compromising browser integrity.
This scam works because ad networks often allow third-party JavaScript without sufficient scrutiny. A compromised plugin, misconfigured ad slot, or outdated dependency can open a door for fraud. Once injected, the script executes silently—no visible disruption, but measurable revenue and trust loss.
Ad fraud hits both publishers and advertisers. Publishers lose yield, advertisers pay for worthless clicks, and end users may face CPU drain and device slowdowns. Detecting Scallywag requires behavior-based analytics, script fuzz testing, and proactive monitoring of ad payloads across environments.
To defend, restrict ad script origins, enforce strong content security policies (CSP), sandbox ad frames, review third-party dependencies, and conduct continuous audits of JavaScript behavior. AUMINT.io helps you deploy simulated ad fraud scenarios, audit plugin integrity, and create alerting systems for script anomalies.
Don’t let ad fraud erode your revenue and reputation. Lock down your ad infrastructure today. Secure your site with AUMINT.io – Book your session now and unmask hidden ad fraud.
Act now to stay ahead of evolving ad-based attacks – Schedule your AUMINT.io consultation.