At their best, online ads match consumers with the perfect product. At their worst, they can infect a person's device with malicious software. A new report found that malicious ads overtook email scams and direct hacks as the primary channel for malware in 2025. Cybercriminals use malware to infect machines with the aim of extorting money or data, or otherwise causing chaos for unwitting victims. The report, shared exclusively with Business Insider by digital safety company The Media Trust,