Anatomy Of An Adsense Attack

As you my have read in this Blog, my Google Adsense Account has been killed off by an external attack. I really don't care about the Adsense revenue I've lost, and I can't speculate if this was a random Bot attack or a deliberate act by a vindictive person.

Behind every Bot there is a person writing the program. Sending in an Appeal to Google would be futile, I've read that no-one ever gets their revenue or account reinstated. I've also read that the person who organised this has done me a favour in the longer term, though I really doubt that my attacker had my best interests at heart.

I've been reading up on the antics on "Click Bombers" and "Click Bots" in an effort to understand how the attack was carried out whilst looking like it came from me. I was oblivious to the damage as I never saw the Ads, or paid attention to the income, as I never received any.

I'd made a Blog entry on the 21st June 2011, received no Blog visits on the 21st, and on the 22nd June my Blog received 52 visits from an address in Horsham, Pennyslvania.

All the Charts and analysis are by Google Analytics and belong to them.

Oh dear, I seem to be relocated in Horsham, Pensylvannia

As I use Google Analytics it's possible to view the emerging patterns. It's not possible to get the exact location pinned down as far as I can tell.

Level 3 Communications provided the service

Much as I'd like to think my Blog is an interesting read, it's a little OTT for someone using Level 3 Communications services, to then click on my Adsense Ad boxes 69 times on the 22nd June.  Not only that, they were superfast at arriving, clicking the Ads and departing too.

Out of 80 Direct Traffic visits for June 2011, 44 occurred on the 22nd.

Direct traffic sources show a big spike on the 22nd

Another blip in Switzerland, the data shows that from Fribourg and Montreux areas, there were 27 visits, resulting in a Bounce Rate of 75%. The pattern for the rest of Switzerland is in single figures, as expected.

Apparently I'm popular in Switzerland

Of course I have no idea how the attack was carried out. Perhaps my Google account was hacked to gain access. Naturally I've changed passwords everywhere, just in case. I'll see what the next batch of Google Analytics data shows before taking any further action.

Life's Little Surprises

I've just seen my Google Analytics results for the month of June 2011 for this Blog. Rather a lot of traffic from one particular part of Switzerland. It's produced a big red blob on my traffic map. In a 14 day period, there were 16 visits from the Fribourg region of Switzerland.

Maybe my Blog is worth reading after all.

Warfare

I've just had notification from Google Adsense that they have pulled my Adsense boxes and refunded the money I had earned over several years to their Advertisers. This they said was down to invalid click activity. It's not my activity, so this Blog page has likely come under attack from another party. I have a good idea who as well, but as it's so petty I can't be bothered to counter it, or launch a formal appeal with Google.

Well, I really don't care about Adsense, I never received a penny from their Advertising, so I've removed their poxy boxes from this Blog. As far as I'm concerned Adsense sucks, I've run the Ad boxes for years, and got nothing for it.

BTW Google, I don't see these Adverts I'm supposed to have clicked on  as I've used Adblock Plus for years :)

Onwards and upwards, free of horrid little adverts!