In January 2025, e-commerce brands witnessed a surge in malware attacks, with shopper-side ad injections, unauthorized redirects, & malicious scripts hijacking online shopping experiences.
For D2C marketers and e-commerce leaders, the threat isn’t just security—it also involves revenue leakage, poor user experience and lost customer trust.
How Adware Disrupts the Shopper Journey
What Happens When Adware/Malware Targets Your Customers…
When shoppers visit your site, their experience should be controlled by your brand—not by unauthorized scripts running in their browsers. Malware-infected browsers hijack sessions, inject competitor ads, and redirect users away from completing a purchase. Here’s how:
Scenario 1 – The “Competitor Ad Injection” Trap
A high-intent shopper adds a premium skincare product to their cart. Adware running on their browser injects a popup ad from a competitor, offering a 10% discount on the same product elsewhere. The shopper clicks the ad, exits your site, and never completes the checkout.
Scenario 2 – Unauthorized Redirects at Checkout
A shopper browses a high-end apparel store, fills their cart, and proceeds to checkout. Suddenly, an MSIL malware variant redirects them to a fake “payment verification” page that appears identical to the brand’s actual checkout. They unknowingly enter their payment details, which are stolen in real time. You lose a sale; the customer loses faith in your brand.
Scenario 3 – Slow Page Loads & Checkout Drop-Offs
A customer experiences delayed page loads because of hidden Riskware scripts running on their browser. These scripts track their behavior, sending it to third parties who target them with competitor offers. Frustrated by the slow experience, they abandon their cart.
Sounds like hyperbole? Not really. 7-10% of shoppers encounter hijacked ads, unauthorized redirects, or malicious popups while browsing. E-commerce brands affected by malware lose 10-15% of their customer lifetime value (CLV) due to poor experience and revenue leakage.
The Biggest Malware Threats Targeting E-commerce in 2025
Cybercriminals are getting smarter, deploying increasingly sophisticated adware to disrupt e-commerce businesses, steal customer data, and divert traffic away from legitimate brands. Here are the most active threats that marketers and security teams need to watch out for:
1. MSIL
What it does: Targets .NET applications, enabling data theft and persistent tracking of shoppers.
What happens on your store: Intercepts user credentials, making shoppers vulnerable to account takeovers and unauthorized transactions. It frequently delivers intrusive popups and fake promotions that mislead shoppers.
2. Agent
What it does: Functions as a malware loader, installing ransomware, spyware, or remote-access trojans.
What happens on your store: It skews attribution by redirecting shoppers before they complete a purchase and injecting competitor ads into legitimate shopping sites.
3. GenKryptik
What it does: Uses advanced encryption techniques to bypass detection while spreading data stealers and phishing trojans.
What happens on your store: Hijacks checkout pages, potentially stealing credit card details. It injects malicious banners and redirects, pushing traffic away from legitimate brands.
4. W32 (32-bit Windows Malware)
What it does: Common Windows-based malware used to exploit browser vulnerabilities and inject harmful scripts.
What happens on your store: Can force product pages to display fraudulent checkout options, tricking shoppers into submitting payment details to scammers. It also delivers unauthorized discount popups, misleading customers into thinking they are receiving a site-approved promotion.
5. W64 (64-bit Windows Malware)
What it does: Designed for 64-bit Windows systems, with an emphasis on persistence and data exfiltration.
What happens on your store: Silently monitors user behavior and harvests financial data during checkout. Often bundled with discount extensions, it forces coupon code abuse on e-commerce stores.
6. Riskware
What it does: Legitimate software that poses security risks due to its vulnerabilities or potential misuse.
What happens on your store: Creates loopholes in security, allowing hackers to run ad-injecting scripts that lead to higher bounce rates and traffic loss. It enables persistent tracking and intrusive advertising.
7. Injectors
What it does: Inserts unauthorized scripts into trusted processes, enabling browser hijacking.
What happens on your store: Manipulates product pricing and redirects high-intent shoppers before they complete a purchase. It spawns unauthorized banners and popups, making legitimate site promotions harder to trust.
8. Adware
What it does: Displays intrusive ads, injects fake popups, and hijacks browser sessions.
What happens on your store: Bombards shoppers with unauthorized promotions, leading to higher checkout abandonment rates. Often delivered by Trojans, MSIL, and Riskware, reinforcing a continuous cycle of customer distraction and revenue leakage.
Impact on E-commerce and D2C Brands
The increasing sophistication of these threats has significant implications for e-commerce and D2C brands:
- Revenue Loss: Unauthorized redirects and competitor ads can divert high-intent customers, decreasing sales. E-commerce brands affected by malware see an average 10-15% drop in customer lifetime value (CLV) due to lost trust and compromised user experience.
- Damaged Brand Reputation: Malicious ads and redirects erode customer trust, making shoppers wary of returning to your site.
- Data Theft & Fraudulent Transactions: Malware often intercepts payment information, putting customers at risk & exposing brands to legal liability.
- Marketing Attribution Issues: Adware skews performance data, making it difficult to track legitimate acquisition & conversion on your site.
How Can You Protect Your Store From Malware/Adware?
- Protect your brand’s face by protecting your website. Block any unauthorized code from running on the users’ browser while the user is on your site.
- Protect your cart & checkout pages vehemently. Don’t allow hijackers to steal your traffic at the moment of purchase.
- Maintain full control over your promotions. Prevent any extensions & malware-injected discounts from depleting your margins.
Securing Your E-commerce Business in 2025
At BrandLock, we specialize in protecting your shoppers from unwanted distractions, malware injections, and competitor ads that silently hijack your traffic. Brands like Sephora, FILA, and Cartier trust us to secure their revenue month after month. Want to see how many shoppers are at risk on your site? Let’s talk.
In 2025, let’s lock down your site and keep your revenue where it belongs—with you.
Stay protected, stay competitive.
