Cybercrime

Cybercrime / Industry Updates

Tracking Down Fake Cryptocurrency Sellers Using DNS Intelligence

Threat researcher Dancho Danchev recently uncovered 130 domains that seemingly belong to fake cryptocurrency sellers. The WhoisXML API research team sought to find potential connections to the threat by expanding the current list of indicators of compromise (IoCs) using our vast array of DNS intelligence sources. more

Profiling a Popular DDoS Booter Service’s Ecosystem

Cybercriminals can launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks with relative ease these days by using DDoS booter services, online services that automate the DDoS attack process. more

Examining a U.S. Tax Scammer’s Web Infrastructure through the DNS Lens

The 2024 U.S. tax season is well underway, and as usual, scams of all kinds targeting taxpayers and causing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) problems have cropped up. One such ongoing malicious campaign has explicitly been trailing its sights on small business owners and the self-employed. more

DNS Investigation: Is xDedic Truly Done for After Its Takedown?

Law enforcement agencies shut down xDedic, a cybercrime-as-a-service (CaaS) marketplace specifically providing web servers to cybercriminals, back in 2019. However, WhoisXML API threat researcher Dancho Danchev posits that parts of its backend infrastructure may remain traceable. more

DNS Deep Diving into Pig Butchering Scams

New kids on the cybercrime block, pig butchering scams, have been making waves lately, and it is not surprising why. Scammers have been earning tons from them by being able to trick users into investing in seemingly legitimate business ventures but losing their hard-earned cash instead. more

Investigating the UNC2975 Malvertising Campaign Infrastructure

Mandiant's Managed Defense Threat Hunting Team recently published an in-depth study of the malware distributed via what they have dubbed the "UNC2975 malvertising campaign." Users who have been tricked into clicking poisoned sponsored search engine results and social media posts ended up with computers infected with either the DANABOT or DARKGATE backdoor. more

A Log4Shell Malware Campaign in the DNS Spotlight

The Log4Shell zero-day vulnerability, also known as "CVE -- 2021 -- 44228," proved to be one of the worst bugs disclosed in December 2021. And while a patch for it has been made available via the Log4j 2.17.1 release seven days after its discovery, some affected systems could remain vulnerable to date. more

A Fake ID Marketplace under the DNS Lens

The concept of internationalization extends from the virtual to the physical realm. Many people wish to travel or even migrate to other countries at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, that's sometimes easier said than done given the many legal documents, including valid IDs, passports, and others required. more

Behind the Genesis Market Infrastructure: An In-Depth DNS Analysis

As long as cybercriminals remain in business, so will the number of underground marketplaces grow. And despite the crackdown on the biggest markets like Silk Road, cybercriminals will continue to strive to put up their own marketplaces, probably given their profitability. Case in point? more

Rogue Bulletproof Hosts May Still Be Alive and Kicking as DNS Intel Shows

Rogue bulletproof hosts are part and parcel of the cybercriminal market that is hidden deep underground. Without means to easily evade detection, attribution, and incarceration, many of today's cybercriminals would not be able to continue their malicious operations. more