A $1 billion Russia-based criminal gang has been bilking online advertisers by impersonating high-profile Web sites like ESPN, Vogue, CBS Sports, Fox News and the Huffington Post and selling phony ad slots, but that’s about to end.

Online fraud-prevention firm White Ops is releasing data today that will enable online advertisers and ad marketplaces to block the efforts of the group, which is cashing in on its intimate knowledge of the automated infrastructure that controls the buying and selling of video ads.

The group has been ramping up its activities since October so that it now reaps roughly $3 million to $5 million per day from unsuspecting advertisers and gives them nothing in return, says White Ops, which discovered the first hints of the scam in September.

When someone clicks on a video that’s posted to a Web page, the video is often preceded by a short advertising video known as pre-roll. The pre-roll slot is sold realtime – within 100 milliseconds – via an automated auction. That click to request the video is what initiates the ad auction, and the browser directly receives the pre-roll from the advertiser that wins, says White Ops CEO Michael Tiffany.

The system relies on information provided by the browser to verify what site the browser user is visiting and that it actually receives the pre-roll ad. “The ecosystem believes what the browser says about what site you’re at,” he says.

Beware Methobot

The gang, which Tiffany calls AFT13, has created a robo-browser called Methbot that spoofs all the necessary interactions needed to initiate, carry out and complete the ad transactions. So Methbot contacts an ad exchange and says it needs a pre-roll for a video on Vogue.com, for example. The system runs an instant auction, settles on an ad and sends it to Methbot, which verifies that it received it and played it.

Then the advertiser pays the entity the website that the browser claimed to be visiting, but that entity resolves ultimately to AFK13, not to Voguecom, in this example, he says.

INSIDER: Traditional anti-virus is dead: Long live the new and improved AV

Beyond this, AFK13 spoofs the geolocation of the IP addresses that the Methbot servers use so it seems they are all owned by U.S. internet service providers. The proxy IP addresses mask the fact that Methbot traffic is generated by servers as opposed to individual personal computers generating legitimate traffic. It also hides that the servers are located in data centers in Dallas and Amsterdam.

This helps Methbot duck detection mechanisms that look for a few IP addresses that generate enormous volumes of requests Tiffany says, enabling AFK13 to sell 200 million to 300 million false ad impressions per day for 1.3 cents per view on average, White Ops says. The fraud network does its work from an estimated 800 to 1,000 nodes in its data centers and operates 24 hours per day, with a sales cycle of 5 seconds per impression.

Methbot further avoids detection by selling the ads on more than 6,000 domains representing about 250,000 URLs.

To pull this all off, AFK13 has amassed an impressive infrastructure that includes:

The servers that generate all the Methbot browser activity.

A bank of 500,000 IPv4 addresses (worth about $4 million if sold on the open market).

A means of registering those IP addresses so they appear to be allocated to U.S. ISPs.

Methbot software.

The software has been upgraded over the period that White Ops became aware of it, Tiffany says. For example, White Ops first caught on to the scam when it noted a small error in an HTTP header used by the group. One value, known as Cache-Control, contained a colon, which violated the specification for that value. Since then the error has been corrected.

Gus Wilson Scoter (Wood) - Gus Wilson, South Portland, Maine, circa 1905. Preening Scoter. Inlet head, raised carved wings. Rig of Leigh Floyd Witherspoon, 1882, North Haven Island, Maine. "L.F.W." and roman numeral "VIII" carved in the underside. :Old paint covering a lighter brown primer coat; neck separated, exposed filler; white wing patches strengthened; paint worn on left side; coat of black paint has been removed from unside

Winsor White Miniature Shorebirds (Wood) - Duxbury, MA 1901-1975. Winsor White was a Duxbury decoy collector and carver. Extremely well carved for minis this small. A split tail Greater Yellow Legs miniature initialed W.W and dated 1920 on bottom, along with a miniature Knot with same initials and dated 1915- along with three others, all signed on bottom W.W. and dated either 11915 or 1920. Condition very good and original. Provenance: From Duxbury home. Height both 1.25", length yellowlegs 1.75", Knot 2"

George Boyd Miniature Godwit (Wood) - George H. Boyd, Seabrook, NH, 1873-1941, Rare Miniature Godwit on cedar base. Condition Excellent. Bartlett Collection

David B. Ward - American, Connecticut, 1947- Present. Life size hollow immature Great Blue Heron carving in feeding posture. Bottom stamped "DBW". Condition excellent- all original. 32 ½" from tip of bill to tip of tail.

David B. Ward Heron - American, Connecticut, 1947- Present. Life size hollow carved Great Blue Heron. Bottom stamped "DBW". Condition excellent- all original. 32.75" bill tip to tail tip.

Miniature Crane (Wood) - New England C. First half Twentieth Century. Rare miniature Sandhill Crane. Bill rub at tip. Paint loss to edge of front wing, in section of back wing, and underside by leg. Mounted on red cedar base. Contact gallery for more pictures.

Charles Lawrence Jr. Miniature Rainbow Trout (Wood) - North Woodstock, New Hampshire. Miniature Carved and Painted Rainbow Trout, Early 20th Century By Charles Lawrence, Jr., Very good condition. Length 3". Mounted on pine plaque, length 4¾". Ink stamp on reverse." Contact gallery for more pictures.

Russ Burr Miniature Owl - Miniature Great Horned Owl by Russ Burr of Hingham, MA. Stamped on bottom of Driftwood, wall-mount base, "Russ P. Burr"

Great Horned Owl Decoy, Mike Borrett (wood) - Mike Borrett, Madison WI, Exceptional life-size great horned owl with glass eyes and mechanical wings. rockery- style base with wood burned signature "Borrett" on bottom. Excellent condition. Price includes shipping to US locations. 25.5" tall.

Russ Allen Owl (Wood) - American Contemporary, Wall hanger Owl carved from old decoy. Flat bottom with r.a. branded on back. Nicely painted with leather ears, hawk-like bone beak. Condition excellent. Height 14" Width 5.25.

Wick Aherns, Sperm Whale Plaque (Wood) - Wick Aherns, Weston Vermont. Bass Wood Sperm Whale Plaque. Signed front lower right. Hand painted- antiqued finish. Aherns studied at the Vesper George School of Art and the San Francisco . Art Institute. He was mentored by his Vermont neighbor, whale carver Clark Voorhees. Aherns' whale sculptures are found in several whaling and maritime museums, and in corporate and private collections from coast to coast.

Clark Voorhees Whale(wood) - American 1911-1980 (Connecticut and Vermont) . Carved, Painted Wooden Sperm Whale Plaque, Signed on back with conjoined initials "CV" and "C. VOORHEES", Height 5" Length.18 in.

We specialize in 20th and 21st century American fine art and folk art, having a particular interest in American impressionism, wildlife bronzes, decorative songbirds, and shore bird decoys. Gallery owner Sally Caverly has over 25 years of experience collecting art. This field experience combines with her B.A degree in marketing, a master's degree in education and work experience as Market Research Division Director of a major publishing house.

At Hawkfield Gallery we believe that buying and selling art should be a straightforward, approachable, and rewarding experience. We assist our clients in all phases of the buying and selling process. Hawkfield Gallery is attuned to the different stages of collecting, as reflected in the price ranges offered in our gallery.

Essex is situated in East Anglia, close to England's capital city, London. Whatever your interest, there is lots of choice in Essex with archaeology, history, coastline with seaside resorts, delightful countryside for walking, cycling and horse riding, nine country parks, busy towns and pretty villages to explore.

Chelmsford, the County town of Essex, is one of the County's best shopping centres and an ideal base for exploring the County.

Chelmsford is famous as the home of Essex County Cricket Club and as the town where the Marconi Company set up the first radio company in the world, in the late1890's. You can learn about the town's history at Chelmsford Museum in Oaklands Park.

Colchester is the oldest town in Britain, with documented evidence of a settlement here as early as the fifth century BC. Colchester is traditionally known for its cloth weaving, flower growing and oysters.

You can visit the Norman castle and museum, and also the Dutch Quarter where Flemish refugees settled in the sixteenth century.

Nearby is beautiful Dedham Vale and Constable Country in the north east; and the yachting and wildlife havens of Mersea Island and the Colne

On the 'sunshine coast' you'll find the towns of Clacton-on-Sea, Walton-on-the-Naze, and Harwich.

Clacton-on-Sea is popular with families, with miles of golden sandy beaches and the fun packed pier.

Walton-on-the-Naze has a good beach and the second longest pier in Britain, with one of the world's oldest amusement parks. Inland the Naze Tower dominates the area, which is rich in flora and fauna.

Frinton-on-Sea is tranquil and unspoiled, with golden beaches and tree lined avenues. The town has many interesting shops and the church of St. Mary has fine panels of stained glass by William Morris and Burne Jones.

In Harwich you can discover sixteen sites of historic interest by following the 'Harwich Maritime Trail'. The interesting towns of Manningtree and Mistley, which lie at the gateway to Constable Country, are also worth visiting.

Maldon is famous for the production of Maldon salt. In Maldon you can visit The Hythe, where the Thames sailing barges are moored, and explore the steep winding streets with intriguing inns and shops.

Southend-on-Sea is the largest town in Essex, a vibrant resort with seven miles of sparkling seafront, and a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Don't miss Southend Pier - which is the world's longest pier. At nearby Leigh on Sea you can watch the local fishermen bring in the days catch.

In South Essex, Brentwood is a busy town with good shopping and leisure facilities. The town is surrounded by open countryside, which is part of the Metropolitan Green Belt, and the centre of town is only a short walk from pleasant woods and commons.

Essex Tourist Information is available at Waltham Abbey, where you can also visit the 16th Century timber framed buildings of the Epping Forest District Museum and Royal Gunpowder Mills steam-powered mill. The town is a gateway into the Lee Valley Country Park, with plenty of countryside and leisure activities.

Saffron Walden, once famous for its cultivation of saffron crocuses, is a delightful town in the north west of the County. Saffron Walden's beautiful church is the largest in Essex, dating from the prosperous years of the saffron industry in the late 15th century. The many timber framed buildings with fine plasterwork, and the intriguing alleyways around the market place contribute to the town's charm. There is a tourist information centre in Market Place.

Braintree is a bustling market town, good for shopping, restaurants, arts and entertainment. The surrounding rolling countryside offers good walking, cycling and golf.

If you find yourself in urgent need of the services of a rioting attorney it is imperative that you take time to source for the best legal representation regardless of whether you are guilty or not. Doing so is very important because you may be facing serious consequences such as: serious jail time, hefty fines, probation, a tainted record etc. there are several things which you need to take into consideration as far as choosing the right rioting attorney is concerned.

Below is an overview of 7 top tips on choosing the Right Rioting Lawyer. Taking into consideration these tips serves as a guarantee will help you make the most informed decision when looking for the most qualified attorney to handle your case. In fact, they will significantly increase the chances of having your case result either in a dismissal, satisfactory plea deal or better yet a “not guilty” verdict.

#1: Familiarize yourself with the different ways to find professional and experienced attorneys

Your search for the right rioting attorney is definitely not the time to contemplate hiring your 3rd cousin who you may have previously witnessed win a spending ticket case for a distant relative. This is because, depending on the charges leveled against you, chances are you could end up with a criminal record (tainted image) if you fail to get proper legal representation. This being the case, it is strongly advised that you focus on hiring the best preferably someone with a record of winning cases similar to yours. The best way to do this is to take time and familiarize yourself with the different ways to spot the most reliable lawyers.

Examples of ways to identify professional and experienced rioting attorneys include:

i. Reaching out to professional legal organizations closest to you or within your area. Some organizations may already be having online directories plus major cities and states have legal organizations set up so reaching out to them should be very easy.

ii. Asking for referrals. Ask from those you trust such as close friends or family members particularly those who have in the past hired competent legal professionals.

iii. Court room observations. This applies to a situation in which you have identified an attorney but you are still interested in finding out more about his potential to handling your case.

iv. Checking directories. Feel free to carry out a web search for criminal defense attorney directory.

Once you are familiar with the ways to identify rioting attorneys with the potential of handling your case to your satisfaction, it is advisable to pick at least two or three and then run a background check. Doing so is very important since it will point your towards the candidate who is best placed to represent you and urge your case on your behalf.

#2: Do your research (Run a background check)

With two or three candidates in mind, take time to run a background check as mentioned above. Carrying out an independent research of the candidates is important because it will also help you ascertain the quality of service which you are paying for. During the background check, it is strongly advised that you focus on finding out as much as you can about the legal organization which each candidate belong to. At the very least, they should be from different county or state bar associations. Watch out for Attorneys who belong to the national Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers are better placed since they tend to have slightly more than a passing interest in criminal defense.

# 3: Find out who will be assigned to work on your case after you hire the attorney

Most attorneys have assistants with legal experience who simply serve to help them fill in the blanks on client’s cases. Taking this into consideration, question the candidates about whom else will be assigned to the case with emphasis on the percentage of work they will be given. More importantly, find out how much time the attorney will put in on your case. Also take time to find out what will happen to the handling of your case in the event the attorney is incapacitated, falls ill or become unexpectedly available half way through the hearing for your case.

# 4: Meet the attorney(s)

Do not let your judgment be crowded by advertising slogans. Make sure you arrange and meet the candidates in person. Doing so is very important because it is the only way through which you will able to gauge their legal skills as far as the handling of your case is concerned.

When meeting with the, it is important to trust your instincts (gut). This simply means that: after meeting the candidates, in case you have a weird feeling about hiring any particular attorney, or you suspect that you may be scammed, do not proceed to hire that attorney. Take note, there absolutely is nothing wrong with consulting an attorney and then making the decision not to hire him to represent you.

# 5: Discuss the facts of your case with the attorney.

Besides finding out how familiar each candidate is to cases similar to yours, it is advised that you step up and discuss details of your case with the attorney before making a final decision on who you would like to have work on your case. Doing so is very important because it will give each candidate a chance to enlighten you on how they would handle the case once hired.

Take note, the more information you provide the candidates; the easier it will be to identify the one who is most qualified to handle your case. In fact, it will also help the candidates gauge how much they will rate their legal services to you.

# 6: Review the Criminal Defense Attorney Fees

It is in your best interest to hire the best legal representation which you can comfortably afford. It is however very important to take time and find out what services are you being charged for and how much each cost before finally hiring any attorney. When reviewing the attorney fees with each potential candidate it is advised that you take into consideration the fact that: the cost of hiring attorneys depend on the complexity of your case and the evidence available. Keep in mind, hourly rates are the most consumer friendly.

# 7: Make a decision (hire the attorney whose legal attributes relate well to your case)

After thoroughly taking time to familiarize yourself with the potential of each of the candidates you are interested in hiring to represent you as mentioned above, take time to carefully go through their feedback and then make a decision on who you will hire to represent you.

Keep in mind, after hiring a defense attorney, make sure that you exercise a lot of patience with him/her and most importantly cooperate. Anxiety is usually common through the trial period so find out a way to cope with that in a manner that does not interfere with the attorney or make you look guilty. In addition to the above, in order to expedite the whole trial process, provide the lawyer your hire with all useful and important information in time.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right rioting lawyer can be a very challenging. This being the case, in addition to simply taking into consideration the above mentioned tips, it is strongly advised that you exercise extreme caution and avoiding attorneys who seem to guarantee you any specific results in your case prior to thorough reviewing all the necessary documents, evidence or even making any court appearance. Simply put, the best attorney will be that on who is honest with you about the possible outcomes of your case and does not make any promises or guarantee any outcomes of your case.

Ultra Villa, the world’s first luxury portal for ultra-lifestyles, is expanding into exciting new sectors:  UltraLodge, UltraSail, UltraSki and UltraIslands.  The new-look site also now has UltraBoutique and UltraResort categories, which will showcase true gems of hotels and resorts that should be on every luxury lover’s radar.

Ultra Lodgeshines the spotlight on the world’s most prestigious lodges, making it even easier to walk on the wild side.  This section will be populated by specialists offering safaris, wilderness experiences, extreme landscapes, and sporting and hiking centres have all been carefully vetted with the same rigorous approach to quality that helped establish UltraVilla as the ‘little black book’ of luxury villa rental experts.

Ultra Sail is poised to deliver access to small, niche operators in the yacht world, as well as ocean and river cruises.  UltraIslands will showcase a remarkable collection of private islands or islands that house just one resort – for those who truly want to get away from it all, either with friends and family or for their own ‘Robinson Crusoe’ castaway experience à deux.

UltraVilla’s selection of experts dealing in the most extravagant chalets and ski apartments will now be housed in its own section, UltraSki, with many more joining soon, ensuring this will be a true global showcase of the very best. The brand new sections will be populated in the coming months so watch this space!  The redesigned website is also even easier to navigate, and now includes a ‘New’ section to highlight the latest members to be welcomed into the UltraVilla family.  Having passed the stringent vetting process, this month sees six new experts add their portfolios to the directory:

- In Villas Veritas – Laura Blair brings her appreciation of elegance and the very best to the Turks and Caicos. Her offerings in Punta Mita range from contemporary and luxurious sea and golf view haciendas to exquisite beachfront estates.

- Pamela Murdock – A long time lover of the Bahamas, Pamela represents a wonderful range of properties on charming Harbour Island from classic Bahamian cottages to beach houses -including an ultra cool contemporary masterpiece.   She shares her insider tips with clients, such as when is the best time to get a table for lunch at Sip Sip, who sells the tastiest jalepeño cheese bread, where the best deserted island is to have a picnic and where to find the best barbeque (Hint: There’s no sign. Follow the delicious smell to the house with Christmas lights on Dunmore Street).

- Amara Myanmar – Originally founded by a member of the Burmese aristocracy to host European philanthropists who were supporting her foundation post Cyclone Nargis, a share of profits go to the Amara Foundation. Amara’s own unique offerings are:

* The two teak river boats, Amara I and II have only 5 and 7 cabins respectively, and a divine crew. Forget anything else claiming to the best on the Irrawaddy – this is the only way to travel in luxury and privacy, taking in Bagan and Mandalay, and the joys of rural riverine Myanmar on the way.

* The Amara Ocean resort. Three kilometres of perfect private tropical beach in this 25 teak bungalow resort set in the palm groves, on the soft, sandy coastline of Northern Ngapali.  Enjoy spas, excursions to local markets and pagodas, and night-time fishing.

* The Amara Mountain Resort. It really is ‘Tales from the Raj’ in this 10-bedroom lodge in the foothills of the Himalayas, as you play golf, trek gentle paths, meet the colourful local tribes and snuggle by the fire on crisp mountain nights.

- Isola Santa Cristina – Exclusive to UltraVilla member Siglinde Fischer/Charming Places and a brand new property to the market, Isola Santa Cristina is a private island situated in the Venetian Lagoon. Arrive by the owner’s private launch to be met by peacocks strutting on the lawn in front of the villa; enjoy your own private nature reserve on this historical island estate, complete with apricot orchard and vineyard.

 Two new members COMING SOON:

- Schloss Kogl in Salzburg – A picture perfect, fully-staffed castle on Lake Woerthersee with a backdrop of the Alps, and the magical town of Salzburg a stone’s throw away – the perfect base for a cultural stay during the summer Festspielen or January Mozarteum music festivals, or just to soak up Austrian culture and culinary glories, to follow the Sound of Music trail, or enjoy the plentiful sports and hiking opportunities of the lake and mountains.

- Also look out for Excellence Villas, a great new Italian specialist.

www.ultravilla.com

-ENDS-

About UltraVilla

UltraVilla began as an invitation-only consortium for the world’s leading independent specialist villa experts (limited to the top 5% in their fields) established to provide a hallmark of excellence in that  sector. Now encompassing the best of the best in elite travel experiences, it offers a trusted directory, not a booking engine, for high-end travellers and travel agents to the world’s top holiday rental experts working with the most exclusive villas, private houses, lodges, chalets, private yachts, private islands,  boutique hotels  and apartments. UltraVilla was founded by industry leaders Ileana von Hirsch of Five Star Greece, Andrew Loyd of Loyd Townsend Rose and Marina Gratsos of Carpe Diem Luxury Travel.

Ear, Nose & Throat (Otolaryngology)

Sacramento, CA

25 Years of Experience

3 Insurance Plans

Dr. Richard Isaacs Practices

Kaiser Foundation Hospital South Sacramento

6600 Bruceville Rd

Sacramento, CA 95823

* Accepting New Patients

* Electronic Health Records