The
Wikimedia Foundation last week warned that readers who are seeing ads on
Wikipedia articles are likely using a Web browser that has been infected with malware. The warning points to an apparent resurgence in adware and spyware that is being delivered via cleverly disguised browser extensions designed to run across multiple Web browsers and operating systems.
In a posting on its blog, Wikimedia noted that although the nonprofit organization is funded by more than a million donors and does not run ads, some users were complaining of seeing ads on Wikipedia entries. “If you’re seeing advertisements for a for-profit industry (see screenshot below for an example) or anything but our fundraiser, then your
web browser has likely been infected with
malware,” reads a blog post co-written by
Philippe Beaudette, director of community advocacy at the Wikimedia Foundation.
