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The AFF Splog Farm

If you do any "Next Blog" surfing, you've seen these. You may not call them "AFF Splogs", but you've probably noticed them. Statiscally, they make up 1/3 of the Blogosphere, in "blogspot.com".

Finding them isn't hard - just go Surfing.

http://www.blogger.com/next-blog?navBar=true

Identifying them isn't really hard, once you've seen a few.

Here's an obvious one.

Aff Friend Finder (this one is dead, now, so I will show it to you).
http://aff-friend-finderwvghpcb.blogspot.com/

Note the URL.
aff-friend-finderwvghpcb
aff-friend-finder <== Name
wvghpcb <== Suffix


Obviously, being generated by a script. Names are very brief (1 - 3 words, English). A suffix of random alphabetic characters is appended to the name, giving a unique URL.

The template used is a pattern too. Frequently Rounders, or 897. Monochrome backgrounds, no customisation, very plain. A single linklist at the top of the sidebar, the last item in the linklist will be "Friendfinder", and will link to "AdultFriendFinder.Com".

The content is another story. For a long time, I thought that the blogs that I was seeing were hijacked from existing blog owners, and were legit content, though a bit random and scattered subjects. Then another blogger showed us what we have.

Scraped content. Scraped from other blogs.

But, it's scraped content with a payoff - a payoff that you don't want, and may not see immediately. If your computer isn't properly protected, with a robust layered security strategy, you are possibly now a part of another botnet.

>> (Update 10/12): This problem has not gotten any better.

>> Forum thread links: bX-*00065

>> Copy this tag: bX-*00065

>> Top

Comments

Unknown said…
I've just gone splog spotting today.

After about 50 go throughs, I haven't seen one yet. Interesting.

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