Hacking servers for SEO benefits?

It’s the second time it’s happened - I’ve gone to one of my sites, only to find someone has inserted unathorised code linking to another website.

Today it was the turn of a niche investment site I operate, but haven’t updated for a couple of months..

In this instance, the unauthorised code included a link to a Flash file on a property website, as well as Javascript attempting to download a trojan to visitors.

It’s pretty sickening to know that hackers have entered your websites in the first place, let alone using it to distribute malware.

What’s more disturbing is the potential for hacking a site to insert links to third-parties for SEO purposes.

Perhaps the Flash file inserted had a purpose other than plain SEO benefits.

However, it remains a possibility that SEO’s in competitive industries may be employing hackers as a way of adding their own links to third-party sites.

Keep an eye on this for developments in future.

ADDED: Graywolf has the title “Website Hijacking” in his spoof of blackhat SEO terms rendered for corporate speak.

I guess the practice is already established, simply not so discussed in the mainstream.