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How long will it take to get the message when it comes to phishing attacks, the primary method of starting most any compromise these days? That’s a question I keep asking myself, and you should be pondering as well. A new report from SlashNext provides something of an answer, albeit not one you’re going to like: not long at all as details of the Devil-Traff bulk SMS phishing platform emerge.
According to SlashNext senior researcher Daniel Kelley, Devil-Traff is a new bulk SMS platform “enabling phishing campaigns with features like sender ID spoofing, API automation, and support for spam, facilitating large-scale cyberattacks at low cost”.
Sound concerning? It should do, as that automation feature allows for thousands of SMS messages to be sent within minutes and with hardly any effort at all. Here’s what you need to know.
Available to purchase on dark web criminal marketplaces, Devil-Traf can be bought alongside telephone number databases to provide everything an attacker needs to launch a highly-targeted phishing campaign.
The report warns that cybercriminals are dominating these marketplaces with discussions about bulk SMS services, sharing reviews as well as the best operational techniques.
“One of the most abused capabilities is sender ID customization,” Kelley warned, “which allows attackers to impersonate trusted organisations like banks or government agencies.”
And, as already mentioned, there’s that API automation and integration feature that can then launch these attacks across borders en masse, using macros to optimise delivery rates and, crucially, all the while avoiding spam filters.
Thank goodness, then, that such an advanced attack platform would be beyond the financial reach of all but the most organised and well-resourced criminal groups, right? Wrong. The devil is in the details, remember.
With a $10 deposit being all that is required to get started, the use of the platform costs from as little as $0.02 per phishing text message sent.
“With global routes spanning countries like Turkey, Brazil, France, and Australia,” Kelley concluded, the Devil-Traf platform enables attackers to reach victims worldwide.
“Private routes are also available for exclusive campaigns, such as those using Binance sender IDs, further increasing the effectiveness of targeted attacks.”
