Getting malware through Google Ads?

Malware in Google Ads allegedly drained an influencer's entire cryptocurrency wallet. The malware was hidden in an advertisement, which could be reached via a sponsored link in Google Search. At least that's what an anonymous influencer known on Twitter as 'NFT God' or Alex writes.
He claims that all accounts associated with his name on Google, Twitter and other social media, as well as his digital wallets, have been hacked and are now being used to send malicious links.

Unofficial download

It turns out that, he used Google Search to download OBS, open-source video streaming software. Instead of starting the download from the official website, he accidentally clicked on the sponsored advertisement. A few hours later, a series of phishing tweets had been posted to his Twitter accounts, and phishing emails were being sent to his 16,000 subscribers.
And even worse, his digital wallet was emptied, possibly because he set it up as a "hot wallet," which is connected to the internet, rather than a "cold wallet," which allows data to be kept offline. Because blockchain transactions cannot be reversed, nothing can be done about this.

Accidentally clicking on something can have significant consequences, especially if further security is not optimal. Only click on advertisements from companies and organizations that you know or seem trustworthy, and ensure your business-critical data is properly protected. Although this offers no guarantees, it reduces the chance that you will acquire malware that immediately has disastrous consequences.