Blackhat is a computer security conference that provides briefings and training to corporations, government agencies, and hackers. It held every year and offers a variety of presentations to help users how to stay safe and secure at Blackhat and keep their computers protected.
Keyword stuffing
Keyword stuffing is a technique where the content on a web page is fill with the same keywords repeatedly. It looks spammy and can get your website penalized by Google.
There are many ways to implement keyword stuffing. One common method is to use the same anchor text for any page that links to your website. You can also over-optimize image alt descriptions.
Another common blackhat tactic is to comment on other people’s blogs to gain links. The objective of this tactic is to make the links look natural.
Another example is doorway pages. These sites use sneaky redirects to lead users to a different page. When the user clicks, the content on the page is change.
Another tactic is to offer money for a link. This usually done through link exchange sites, which promise a quality link as well as an affiliate program. Some of these sites are deem illegal by advertising standards laws.
A variety of other blackhat tactics include URL Hijacking, which is when competitors replace your website’s search position. Also, cloaking is a type of blackhat SEO that masks the content on your website from search engine crawlers.
Search engines are now taking more sophisticated measures to ensure the accuracy of search results. However, they still respect great content.
In fact, infographics are making a comeback in the golden age of content. Adding images to your articles makes them more approachable and can improve your traffic.
Other techniques are the invisible stuffing of keywords in your meta tags and comment tags. Cloaking can boost your website’s rankings for certain keywords.
Blackhat SEO considered risky, so you should take the time to consider the potential penalties and damage that you may incur from using this tactic.
Cloaking
Cloaking is a technique used by spammers and cyber criminals to manipulate search engine algorithms. It works by presenting different versions of content to the search bots.
Many sites have penalized or blacklisted because of cloaking. This can be difficult to recover from. Some sites never get back on track.
Google penalizes websites that use cloaking. When this happens, your site will remove from the index, and it will not be possible for people to find it. If this occurs, it can take months to recover.
However, there are also methods that can help you repair damage. Recovery plans are design to make it as easy as possible for you to fix the damage. You will need to make a commitment to doing the work necessary to get your website up and running again.
Black hat SEO is a dangerous practice that violates search engine terms and guidelines. These tactics include keyword stuffing and link building techniques. Aside from being illegal, they can hurt your rankings.
Another technique that’s used to get around the Google webmaster guidelines is cloaking. Cloaking is the use of a hidden server to provide users with different content than they would expect. The idea is to trick users into buying products or services.
Search engines have evolved over the past few years, so it’s now easier than ever to spot these SEO tricks. Even Google’s algorithm constantly tweaked to discourage bad user experiences.
It’s important to focus on creating high-quality content that’s useful and answers the intent of the searcher. Use a rank tracking tool like SerpWatch to discover the best keywords to rank for and to improve the user experience.
Private link networks
Private blog networks are like link pyramids in the sense that they link to one another in an organized fashion. These links are usually the brainchild of black hat SEOs. The goal is to push a site in the right direction on the Google search results page. There are no guarantees that a site using such a scheme will rank well, however.
Blackhats typically utilize low-brow tactics such as creating low-quality content or buying up old domains with a high degree of authority. One way to weed out the ins and outs of PBNs is to check the reputation of the people running the show. Also, be on the lookout for a network that is more of a hub and spokes system, as they may not be as reliable. Alternatively, you could opt for a white hat alternative, such as outsourcing your link building efforts to the pros. Regardless, your best bet is to go for the tried and true. Ultimately, a private blog network can only consider a passing grade if you are serious about improving your website’s ranking.
As with any SEO endeavor, the spiders can bite you. To avoid the dreaded gremlins, employ the best practices in the field. The best bet is to engage the services of an ethical SEO expert to perform a thorough check before signing on the dotted line. In addition, make sure you don’t forget to follow-up with a thorough clean-up once the work is complete. This is the only way to ensure a lasting ROI.
Redirects outside of the purpose they intended for
A redirect is a fancy way to switch domain names, and reroute users to another website or page. They are also useful for search engine optimization (SEO) purposes. For instance, if you are trying to boost your Google search rankings in the hopes of securing a higher ranking on the coveted first page, a good redirect is a must.
The best part is that you don’t have to be a web ninja to pull it off. Most modern web servers come equipped with a rewrite engine, and it’s not hard to set a 301 redirect. In addition, a redirect is a great way to cloak your search engine crawlers from the prying eyes of Google and Bing. While there’s no guarantee your shady business will never come to light, it’s a surefire way to make your site more palatable to the search engines.
It’s no secret that black hat SEOs use a slew of unproven tactics to improve their rankings. For example, one of the more common black hat methods is to purchase an expired domain with the intention of using its content to generate traffic, and then linking back to their primary site. By doing so, they have a shot at getting that coveted top spot-on Google and other search engines, courtesy of their paid links. Not to mention that a link to your site from a popular blog or forum is a great way to get the word out about your organization.
The best part of all is that it is free to do. With a little creativity, you can build a redirecting network of your very own. Of course, you will also have to invest in the requisite hardware to run it.
Mitnick’s and Pacific Bell’s hacks
Kevin Mitnick is one of the most elusive computer break-in artists in history. He is famous for hacking into computers at major corporations such as the North American Défense Command, the University of Southern California, and the Pacific Bell telephone company.
He arrested on several occasions. Most recently, he convicted of stealing software from the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in 1988.
While he was on supervised release, he continued to steal from the phone companies. In particular, he stole from Pacific Bell, where he had access to voicemail systems and billing statements.
After his release, he set up his own security consulting business. His clients included Fortune 500 companies. Today, he sells critical software exploits. He also writes books on security and speaks at conferences.
At age 16, Mitnick hacked into the Pacific Bell network. The company was using a system called COSMOS to maintain its systems. A technician discovered that the system had several abnormalities, which allowed unauthorized individuals to gain access.
According to the Department of Justice, Mitnick also gained access to hundreds of passwords, which he used for “computer fraud.” When he was 17, he wiretapped the NSA.
At that time, he was a member of a gang of hackers living in Los Angeles. They hoped to gain fame by gaining access to computer networks.
He later became known as “Condor” on hacker bulletin boards, a name he uses to this day. It was because he liked the sound of the name.
Then, in 2000, Mitnick released from prison. Until then, he was on probation, meaning that he could not access computer systems illegally. However, he remained on the run, despite his release from prison.
Recommended readings:
- Kronos Ransomware Attacks
- Intel New Xeon Chip Pushes Confidential Computing Cloud Applications to the Next Level
- Diversify Your Sources of Truth After the Okta Breaches
