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How your favorite analytics tools can turn against you.
Digital analytics tools such as link shorteners, location-based services, and CAPTCHAs play an important role in today's internet, helping system administrators drive traffic and marketers and advertisers deliver content to the right audience. However, these same technologies are actively used by attackers to bypass security systems and increase the effectiveness of their attacks.
Link shorteners, such as bit.ly, became popular back in the early 2000s. They simplify the process of exchanging long URLs and allow you to track the click-through rates of advertising links. However, attackers use them to hide malicious links and redirect victims to phishing pages. Research shows that link shorteners can be used at different stages of cyberattacks. For example, in one of the recent attacks, a link shortening service was used to direct users to fake payment pages created to steal bank card data. In another case, in the spring of 2023, a link shortener was used to track clicks on Dropbox URLs that led to malicious file downloads.
Attackers also actively use geolocation services designed to determine the location of a user based on his IP address. These services help marketers assess the reach of their advertising campaigns, but in the hands of cybercriminals, they turn into a tool for targeted attacks. For example, malware can use geolocation data to track the spread of infections or to restrict access to phishing pages based on the victim's geographical location. In one of the cases recorded by the researchers, the malware performed its actions only if the system was located in a certain country, thus avoiding infecting computers located outside the target territory.
CAPTCHA, a technology originally developed to protect against automated bots, can also be used for malicious purposes. The attackers are injecting CAPTCHAs into their malicious pages to thwart automated security scanners. This allows phishing sites to remain undetected by security systems while providing access to real users. Studies show that such techniques are often used in phishing campaigns, where the user is first prompted to complete a CAPTCHA and then redirected to a malicious page where data theft or malware downloads take place.
Combating such threats requires the implementation of advanced analysis and detection methods. Traditional security systems may not be effective against such techniques, so new approaches are needed, such as monitoring network traffic and analyzing link behavior. For example, automated systems can track clicks on shortened links to identify suspicious activity, or analyze network requests related to geolocation services and CAPTCHAs.
It's important to understand that attackers continue to refine their techniques using digital tools originally designed to improve the user experience. To ensure security, a comprehensive approach is required, including not only traditional protection measures, but also new strategies aimed at identifying andaverting the threats associated with the use of these technologies for malicious purposes.
Source
Digital analytics tools such as link shorteners, location-based services, and CAPTCHAs play an important role in today's internet, helping system administrators drive traffic and marketers and advertisers deliver content to the right audience. However, these same technologies are actively used by attackers to bypass security systems and increase the effectiveness of their attacks.
Link shorteners, such as bit.ly, became popular back in the early 2000s. They simplify the process of exchanging long URLs and allow you to track the click-through rates of advertising links. However, attackers use them to hide malicious links and redirect victims to phishing pages. Research shows that link shorteners can be used at different stages of cyberattacks. For example, in one of the recent attacks, a link shortening service was used to direct users to fake payment pages created to steal bank card data. In another case, in the spring of 2023, a link shortener was used to track clicks on Dropbox URLs that led to malicious file downloads.
Attackers also actively use geolocation services designed to determine the location of a user based on his IP address. These services help marketers assess the reach of their advertising campaigns, but in the hands of cybercriminals, they turn into a tool for targeted attacks. For example, malware can use geolocation data to track the spread of infections or to restrict access to phishing pages based on the victim's geographical location. In one of the cases recorded by the researchers, the malware performed its actions only if the system was located in a certain country, thus avoiding infecting computers located outside the target territory.
CAPTCHA, a technology originally developed to protect against automated bots, can also be used for malicious purposes. The attackers are injecting CAPTCHAs into their malicious pages to thwart automated security scanners. This allows phishing sites to remain undetected by security systems while providing access to real users. Studies show that such techniques are often used in phishing campaigns, where the user is first prompted to complete a CAPTCHA and then redirected to a malicious page where data theft or malware downloads take place.
Combating such threats requires the implementation of advanced analysis and detection methods. Traditional security systems may not be effective against such techniques, so new approaches are needed, such as monitoring network traffic and analyzing link behavior. For example, automated systems can track clicks on shortened links to identify suspicious activity, or analyze network requests related to geolocation services and CAPTCHAs.
It's important to understand that attackers continue to refine their techniques using digital tools originally designed to improve the user experience. To ensure security, a comprehensive approach is required, including not only traditional protection measures, but also new strategies aimed at identifying andaverting the threats associated with the use of these technologies for malicious purposes.
Source
