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Exploring the Hidden Threats of Malvertising: Sriya Peddinti’s Research on Cybersecurity and Older Adults

For Sriya Peddinti, a senior Computer Science major with minors in ACES and Astronomy, curiosity and initiative have been the driving forces behind her research journey. What began as an interest sparked in the classroom has grown into an exploration of one of the internet’s most deceptive dangers: malicious online advertisements.

“I wanted to get involved in cybersecurity research more after taking some ACES courses such as Reverse Engineering and the honeypot course,” Sriya explains. These courses opened her eyes to the complex and evolving landscape of cybersecurity, where attackers constantly adapt their methods to exploit users’ vulnerabilities.

When a friend mentioned Breakerspace, a computer and network security research lab at the University of Maryland, Sriya took the initiative to learn more. After reading several papers published by the group, she sent a cold email to Professor Dave Levin, expressing her interest in joining. That bold step opened the door to a new world of research opportunities.

“I got to talk to Professor Levin about the different projects that he was involved in,” Sriya recalls. “I was most interested in older adults, so I started getting involved in this area of research.”

Uncovering the Dangers of Malvertising

Sriya’s current work focuses on malvertising, or malicious advertisements that appear legitimate but lead users to fraudulent or harmful websites. One particularly concerning form of malvertising is the tech support scam, which often preys on users’ uncertainty about technology.

“Malicious advertisements represent a significant cybersecurity and consumer protection threat,” Sriya explains. “Tech support scams, in particular, exploit users’ uncertainty and redirect them to fraudulent services. My research explores malicious ads on search engines and whether they target older adults, or if older adults are more susceptible to clicking on them.”

Her research involves collecting and analyzing online advertisements that appear in search engine results, identifying potential scams, and studying the characteristics that might make certain populations, especially older adults, more vulnerable.

“It’s been pretty interesting finding advertisements that appear to be ‘scammy,’” Sriya says. “I found some websites that contained misspellings of ‘Microsoft’ and images of older adults claiming to offer tech support. It was shocking to see this come up as one of the first ads on the first page of Bing results!”

Impact and Broader Implications

The implications of Sriya’s findings reach far beyond academic curiosity. Her work could help illuminate whether deceptive ads intentionally target older adults or simply exploit general gaps in online literacy.

“Through our research, we can learn more about whether older adults are being targeted by deceptive advertisements, or if they are just less likely to differentiate a malicious ad from a legitimate ad,” she explains. “I hope our findings can lead to better online safety measures and educational efforts to help users recognize potentially malicious ads and make the internet a safer place for all.”

A Growing Passion for Cybersecurity Research

For Sriya, this research experience has been transformative, deepening her understanding of both the technical and human sides of cybersecurity.

“This research has really strengthened my interest in cybersecurity and in research,” she reflects. “It’s shown me how important it is to understand not just the technical side of online threats, but also the human factors that make people more vulnerable.”

As she looks toward graduation and future opportunities, Sriya hopes to continue combining her technical expertise with a focus on user protection and digital ethics.

Advice for Future Researchers

When asked what advice she’d offer to other students interested in research, Sriya emphasizes the importance of curiosity and initiative.

“Start looking into professors and their work as soon as you can,” she advises. “Reach out to them early about the work you’re interested in, and talk to peers who are already involved in research. You can learn so much from their experiences.”

From a cold email to uncovering hidden online threats, Sriya Peddinti’s journey is a testament to how curiosity, initiative, and a passion for learning can open the door to meaningful discoveries, and a safer digital world for everyone.


Published November 13, 2025