Google Warns Of Search Fraud Surge

As search engines become the default starting point for many if not most Web activities, they're increasingly targeted by crooks. That's what Google's finding, and pretty grim findings they are.More than 1 percent of all search results seek to con searchers, the company stated. More than 180,000 crooked Web sites contained more than 3 million badguy urls.

The findings made their way public in this Google security blog, which notes the dilemma of online advertising -- Google's cash cow -- serving up maliceware alongside marketing materials to a public that all too often can't tell thye difference.

Google's technical report on the problem is here.