DoubleVerify blocks ‘ViperBot’ fraud scheme targeting $8m per month in ad spend
Digital media analytics platform DoubleVerify (DV) has uncovered a sophisticated advertising fraud scheme, “ViperBot”, that attempts to steal over $8 million each month in ad spend across connected television (CTV) and mobile video.
Fraudsters use ViperBot to strip the code that verifies ad impressions and then conceal and redirect the code through real devices to hide the fraudulent activity in an attempt to go undetected. The scheme continues to spoof more than five million devices and 85 million ad requests per day, undercutting ad investments and performance without fraud protection solutions.
“ViperBot is one of the most sophisticated fraud schemes that DV has ever identified,” said Mark Zagorski, CEO at DoubleVerify. “The dynamic nature of fraud schemes underscores the fact that advertisers need a partner who is laser focused on protecting their interests – and who operates independent of the media transaction to remain neutral when determining the quality of inventory.”
“Efficient and transparent media buying leads to better outcomes for brands. By uncovering ViperBot, we are able to give brands greater confidence in their digital investment while ensuring campaign performance.”
ViperBot relies on both the practice of verification stripping and a new tactic called “verification redirection”. The first is the removal of verification tags previously set by a measurement provider. As this normally causes measurement discrepancies, fraud schemes that rely on verification stripping can regularly be identified by advanced measurement companies.
However, ViperBot has seen verification stripping taken to the next level, with the verification tags then being reinserted inside of cheap ad slots running on real devices in an attempt to prevent detection, making it difficult for unsuspecting measurement providers to identify fraudulent activity.
Upon identifying the new tactic DV blocked the falsified impressions and ad requests, ensuring protection for its customers.
“As fraudsters continue to evolve and aggressively target high-value inventory types, measurement providers need to catch up,” said Jack Smith, chief product officer, DoubleVerify. “We’re seeing this happen in CTV and mobile inventory, where higher CPMs make it a more attractive target, but this new redirection tactic can be applied across many environments.”
“The DV Fraud Lab is singularly focused on detecting, neutralising and mitigating new threats, giving advertisers much-needed campaign protection and performance,” added Zagorski. “This is in service of our overall mission – to build a better advertising ecosystem for everyone.”
Imran Masood, country manager of DoubleVerify AUNZ added: “The discovery of ViperBot by the DV Fraud Lab is a timely reminder for Australian brands that bad actors are becoming ever more sophisticated in their efforts and hold no prejudice cross border. To drive consistent media quality, brands and their agencies need an independent partner who is laser focused on protecting them from the risks of ad fraud and media wastage.”
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