Details
- Vector type:
- Google Manipulation
- Risk level:
- Tiny
- Impact level:
- Low
Not so much a direct NSEO attack as a potential way to manipulate Google into altering its search suggestions, as well as its “People also ask” listings, which can nevertheless negatively impact a target’s online business.
The basic premise is that if Google identifies certain defined user patterns and search trends, over a defined period of time, the search engine will reassess not only what is being sought for, but also what items or results to suggest in order to satisfy the “User Intent,” even though the users in this case are Bangladeshi click-farm employees using VPNs and banks of cheap smartphones.
Defense
This is more a conceptual NSEO attack than a widespread problems. While few SEOs would argue that this is technically possible, the effort required to train this technique against individual businesses would make it an economically unsound attack vector.
If it does happen there’s little anyone can do about it, except report it to Google and hope the search giant will take action.