Cybercriminals Misuse Digital Marketing for Malicious Activities

### Cybercriminals Exploit Digital Marketing Tools for Malicious Campaigns
Researchers from Mandiant and Google reveal that cybercriminals are using digital marketing tools to strengthen their attacks:

– **Repurposed Tools**: Tools like digital analytics and SEM are weaponised to evade detection, improve targeting, and increase the efficacy of cyberattacks.
– **Targeted Keywords**: They analyse which advertising keywords attract the most clicks. For example, data showed that ads linked to terms like “advanced ip scanner” generated about 220,000 clicks in June 2024 across various domains.
– **Malvertising Templates**: By studying successful past ads, cybercriminals adapt these for their own malicious campaigns, evidenced by the activity of the domains “ktgotit[.]com” and “advanced-ip-scanner[.]com”.

#### Link Shorteners Under Threat
– **Obfuscating URLs**: Cybercriminals are also exploiting link shorteners (e.g., bit.ly) to hide malicious URLs and redirect victims, aiding in phishing and malware distribution.

#### Misuse of IP Geolocation and CAPTCHA
– **Geolocation Abuse**: Attackers utilise IP geolocation tools to track malware spread and refine attacks based on victims’ locations, as seen with Kraken Ransomware.
– **CAPTCHA Manipulation**: By implementing CAPTCHA challenges, attackers can block automated security analyses of their phishing sites while allowing human victims access.

#### Mitigation Strategies
Experts recommend that organisations:
1. Monitor network activity for suspicious behavior.
2. Implement automated analyses of link shorteners.
3. Enhance detection measures for CAPTCHA and geolocation manipulation.

As digital threats evolve, organisations must remain vigilant and adapt their security protocols to defend against sophisticated attacks. For further guidance, refer to our comprehensive analysis on the Perplexity News website.