The Rubicon Project, a company offering technology for publishers to optimize the ads they run from advertising networks, has acquired a startup called SiteScout. Technology from SiteScout will reportedly be integrated into the Rubicon Project’s services, so that it can better guard against malicious software attacks via advertising.

Publishers and advertisers face a growing threat from attacks that convince their visitors to download malware through what looks like legitimate content and advertising, according to the Rubicon Project. Those attacks can drop traffic by as much as 10 percent in a month, so the Los Angeles-based company said it made sense to lookg for a service that could protect publishers. It plans to add SiteScout security products to its services in the third quarter of this year.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed. SiteScout is based in Seattle, and Rubicon says it will keep the team there as its new Seattle office.

Rubicon has raised $42 million in funding from investors including Clearstone Venture Partners, Mayfield Fund, IDG Ventures, and GE/NBC Universal’s Peacock Equity Fund. Earlier this year, it published a “manifesto” calling for new Web advertising technology (namely, its own) that’s better for publishers.

Companies: SiteScout, The Rubicon Project

Article courtesy of VentureBeat » Deals & More

Ground Truth, a provider of mobile measurement data, today announced a second round of funding for $7 million.

Ground Truth leverages millions of mobile internet subscribers from sources like telecommunication companies to provide insights into mobile internet usage. Ground Truth calls its methodology True View and focuses on providing marketer, publisher and mobile operators with data to better their business, including traffic and performance metrics.

Since the data is compiled from an assortment of sources, the company claims more accurate data than traditional survey methods from competitors like Nielsen and ComScore. A recent study from the company showed that half of the time spent on the mobile internet was on social networking sites. Interestingly, while sites like Facebook and MySpace may be the most popular with PC users, sites like MocoSpace and AirG are visited more on mobile phones, according to the company.

The Seattle company has closed around $9.5 million in total funding. The round was lead by Emergence Capital Partners and Openair Ventures including existing investors Steamboat Ventures and Voyager Capital. Kevin Spain, principal at Emergence Capital Partners, will join the Ground Truth’s board of directors.

Tags: mobile internet

Companies: comscore, Ground Truth, Nielsen

People: Kevin Spain

Article courtesy of VentureBeat » Deals & More

Tax-Break Law Could Benefit JPMorgan (WSJ)
JPM is nearing a deal that would allow it to benefit from a tax refund of as much as $1.4 billion, becoming the latest company to tap a little-noticed plank in an economic stimulus bill. That law let companies apply losses from 2008 or ‘09 against taxes paid in the previous five years, instead of the previous two years. Failed Seattle thrift Washington Mutual is eligible for about $2.6 billion in tax refunds, thanks to big losses in 2008. Now J.P. Morgan, which took over WaMu’s banking operations in September 2008, is in discussions with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and bondholders about the refund. According to people familiar with the talks, an agreement under discussion would let J.P. Morgan claim more than half of the total, to be held in an FDIC receivership as part of a larger settlement with bondholders. J.P. Morgan could dip into that pot to satisfy certain claims related to WaMu’s collapse.

Wall Street Despised by Americans in Poll Showing Majority Want Regulation (Bloomberg)
Tell us how you…really feel?

Financier Is Pulled Back Into Focus (WSJ)
Louis Bacon has “recorded the largest personal property purchase in U.S. history and is known for stalking prey and for a fondness for polo and other sports.” People are talking about this because, you know, the whole raid of his London office on suspicions of insider trading thing.

Plea Anticipated For Former IBM Executive (AP)
Robert Moffat is the latest of Raj Rajaratnam’s friends to plead guilty.

Tough-Talking Feinberg Eases A Bit On GMAC (NYT)
According to Mr. Feinberg’s determination letter, GMAC’s compensation committee is free to grant up to $12.5 million of stock to employees that will paid out only if they meet individual performance goals. In addition, the company will be able to award up to another $12.5 million worth of long-term stock at the end of this 2010. That second portion must be approved by Mr. Feinberg and can only be paid out if the company itself turns an annual profit from its continuing operations.

Paul Krugman: Jamie Dimon Was Right (NYT)
About the 19th Century.

Article courtesy of Dealbreaker

Avvo, a web site that lists and ranks lawyers to make it easy for people to find the right one, has raised $9.9 million of a targeted $10 million round of equity, according to a filing with the SEC. Based in Seattle, Wash., the company is backed by Benchmark Capital, Ignition Partners, and DAG Ventures.

Article courtesy of VentureBeat » Deals & More