Chapter 6. Crimeware in the Browser

Dan Boneh, Mona Gandhi, Collin Jackson, Markus Jakobsson, John Mitchell, Zulfikar Ramzan, Jacob Ratkiewicz, and Sid Stamm

This chapter considers crimeware that executes solely in the user’s web browser, but that does not exploit a vulnerability on that browser. The chapter starts with a discussion of transaction generators, which can be used to modify online transactions (performed using a web browser) in real time. Next, the concept of a drive-by pharming attack is studied—this attack shows how home router DNS settings can be changed when the victim simply views an external web page. Finally, this chapter considers badvertisements, which demonstrate how JavaScript can be used to simulate fraudulent clicks on online advertisements.