Philly.com denies malware allegations

Philly.com is denying allegations that Philadelphia’s largest news portal is distributing malware that could potentially harm user computers.
“Philly.com takes seriously the online security of our users, and we go to great efforts to combat issues including malware,” according to a written statement issued to Technically Philly.
“We will continue to investigate all claims regarding Philly.com and stand by our pledge to provide our users with a safe and secure online experience.”
Earlier today, city blog Phillyist reported that one of its readers was issued a warning by an employer to stay off Philly.com because the site could contain malware.
Only one mention of the malware allegations appeared in a Twitter search, but it was posted before the Phillyist’s story and was not the blog’s original source. “Whatever you do, don’t go to Philly.com, it’s infected with Malware,” April Robinson wrote on her Twitter account a little after Noon.
Philly.com Vice President and Editor Wendy Warren told Technically Philly she didn’t know what company was referenced in the Phillyist tip and that no users have contacted Philly.com directly about problems with the site.
The Wall Street Journal reported this month about the growing trend of online advertisements harboring malware, boosted by publishers trying a variety of Web ad solutions with a growing collection of middlemen.
Malware scares have affected a number of high profile Web sites in recent months, including AmericanIdol.com, FoxNews.com, and Major League Baseball’s MLB.com, according to Econsultancy, an industry news site for digital marketers. Solutions are said to be easy, but ad networks that increasingly involve redistribution are seen to pose potential weakness.
Warren said that the site works closely with a select number of advertising networks that screen both ads and publishers to ensure that malware doesn’t affect users.
“We checked with the ad network that we used today, and they have not had any reports of malware on Philly.com,” she said. “I’m certainly not going to say that it’s impossible or that it didn’t happen, but we have not been able to find any evidence of it today.”
Staff reporter Christopher Wink contributed to this story.