Latest news with #RenéeBurton
Scoop
6 hours ago
- Business
- Scoop
VexTrio Unveiled: Global Cybercrime Enterprise Exposed As Sophisticated Multinational Ad-Fraud Operation
Auckland, 18 August 2025 — Infoblox Threat Intel has revealed new findings on threat actor "VexTrio". Once known only as a major player in malicious traffic distribution systems (TDS), VexTrio has now been exposed as a sprawling international business enterprise — complete with a complex corporate structure, named executives and operations spanning over a decade. More than a group of anonymous hackers, VexTrio is a sophisticated merger of Italian and Eastern European criminal factions that control nearly 100 companies across the adtech, energy and construction industries, using them to orchestrate a global ad-fraud scheme worth billions. VexTrio operates an end-to-end scam supply chain, controlling everything from the development of fraudulent apps to the payment processors that collect the profits. Several adtech companies – Los Pollos, TacoLoco and Adtrafico – pose as legitimate affiliate marketing networks. These entities serve as the public face for a criminal operation that leverages compromised websites, malicious spam and fraudulent social media campaigns to funnel millions of victims into scams. "For years, we thought that VexTrio was just a group of basement hackers,' said Dr. Renée Burton, Vice President of Infoblox Threat Intel. 'This investigation proves that behind the malicious links is a highly organised, multinational corporate entity that has been profiting from fraud on a massive scale. They have built an entire adtech industry to conceal their crimes in plain sight.' Key Findings Massive Scale and Reach: In 2024, VexTrio's affiliate network Los Pollos claimed over 2 billion unique monthly users, and GoDaddy found that nearly 40 per cent of compromised websites it observed were redirecting traffic to VexTrio. One of the group's core Content Delivery Network (CDN) domains ranks in the top 10,000 most popular domains globally. End-to-End Criminal Control: VexTrio develops its own fraudulent products, from fake dating sites to e-commerce and crypto investment platforms. It runs its own payment processors and operates email validation services to support massive spam campaigns. Highly Profitable Scams: The group's network offers affiliates over $100 per lead for fraudulent antivirus products and promoted "blank credit card" scams with promises of six-figure paydays and up to 300 per cent ROI. Sophisticated and Resilient Infrastructure: The entire global operation runs on a lean infrastructure of fewer than 250 virtual machines, utilising advanced automation tools, multiple hosting providers and legitimate CDN (Content Delivery Network) services to evade detection and ensure resiliency. Corporate Web of Deceit: VexTrio hides behind shell companies that pose as legitimate adtech firms, operating several brands under the guise of affiliate marketing, while simultaneously being responsible for many types of fraud. The report highlights the role of adtech platforms in facilitating large-scale cybercrime and underscores the need for stronger accountability measures. The findings reveal how VexTrio's use of networks such as Los Pollos, TacoLoco and Adtrafico not only provides reach but also creates a potential point of exposure – as these platforms vet and track affiliates, they hold valuable intelligence to help identify the actors responsible for compromising countless websites and defrauding millions of users worldwide. here. About Infoblox Infoblox unites networking, security and cloud to form a platform for operations that's as resilient as it is agile. Trusted by 13,000+ customers, including 92 of the Fortune 100, we seamlessly integrate, secure and automate critical network services so businesses can move fast without compromise. Visit or follow us on LinkedIn.
Techday NZ
17 hours ago
- Business
- Techday NZ
VexTrio exposed as global ad-fraud empire with billions in play
Infoblox Threat Intel has released details exposing the VexTrio threat group as a global business enterprise involved in large-scale ad-fraud activity. Previously categorised as a major participant in malicious traffic distribution systems, VexTrio is now understood to be a complex multinational corporate entity with a network of nearly 100 companies spanning the adtech, energy and construction sectors. The network reportedly underpins an ad-fraud scheme valued in the billions. Criminal structure The investigation by Infoblox Threat Intel outlines that VexTrio is not merely an assembly of hackers, but a merger of Italian and Eastern European criminal groups. They use a structural network of businesses to obfuscate fraudulent activities. Named executives run operations which, according to the findings, have persisted for more than a decade. VexTrio is described as managing a comprehensive scam supply chain, controlling all elements from the creation of fraudulent applications to the operation of payment processors that collect illicit proceeds. Prominent adtech brands within the network, including Los Pollos, TacoLoco, and Adtrafico, function as outwardly legitimate affiliate marketing platforms while, in reality, serving the group's criminal operations. "For years, we thought that VexTrio was just a group of basement hackers," said Dr. Renée Burton, Vice President of Infoblox Threat Intel. "This investigation proves that behind the malicious links is a highly organised, multinational corporate entity that has been profiting from fraud on a massive scale. They have built an entire adtech industry to conceal their crimes in plain sight." International reach Infoblox reports that VexTrio's reach is substantial. In 2024, their affiliate network Los Pollos reported more than 2 billion unique users each month. GoDaddy, reviewing compromised websites, found that around 40 percent were redirecting traffic to VexTrio. Additionally, one of the group's core Content Delivery Network domains ranks among the world's top 10,000 most visited domains. The breadth of control extends to fraudulent product development, encompassing fake dating platforms, eCommerce portals and cryptocurrency investment websites. VexTrio operates its own payment processing and runs email validation services, enabling high-volume spam campaigns used to direct new victims into their schemes. Financial incentives and technical setup According to Infoblox, affiliates operating through VexTrio's network are offered incentives surpassing USD $100 per lead for fraudulent antivirus products. Some schemes, such as "blank credit card" scams, are promoted with claims of returns in the six-figure range and up to 300 percent return on investment. The underlying infrastructure supporting the network is described as efficient and advanced. Despite its scale, VexTrio reportedly runs fewer than 250 virtual machines globally, employing automated tools and leveraging multiple hosting and legitimate Content Delivery Network providers to avoid detection and ensure ongoing operations. This technical approach enables the group to remain both resilient and difficult to track. Business fronts and adtech complicity Central to VexTrio's evasion tactics is its use of shell companies and the portrayal of its businesses as reputable adtech providers. The investigation highlights that these companies operate under several brands in the affiliate marketing space, while simultaneously conducting various forms of fraud. The report by Infoblox suggests that adtech industry platforms facilitate the expansion of cybercrime at scale. The research further notes that affiliate networks such as Los Pollos, TacoLoco, and Adtrafico not only increase the syndicate's reach but represent potential points of exposure. As these networks track affiliate activities, they hold intelligence capable of identifying those responsible for website compromises and widespread defrauding of internet users. Researchers argue that these findings underscore the need for increased accountability and transparency in the adtech sector. The examples of compromised affiliates and fraudulent affiliate marketing tactics are presented as risks to internet safety and business integrity worldwide.
Scoop
17 hours ago
- Business
- Scoop
VexTrio Unveiled: Global Cybercrime Enterprise Exposed As Sophisticated Multinational Ad-Fraud Operation
Press Release – Infoblox VexTrio operates an end-to-end scam supply chain, controlling everything from the development of fraudulent apps to the payment processors that collect the profits. Auckland, 18 August 2025 — Infoblox Threat Intel has revealed new findings on threat actor 'VexTrio'. Once known only as a major player in malicious traffic distribution systems (TDS), VexTrio has now been exposed as a sprawling international business enterprise — complete with a complex corporate structure, named executives and operations spanning over a decade. More than a group of anonymous hackers, VexTrio is a sophisticated merger of Italian and Eastern European criminal factions that control nearly 100 companies across the adtech, energy and construction industries, using them to orchestrate a global ad-fraud scheme worth billions. VexTrio operates an end-to-end scam supply chain, controlling everything from the development of fraudulent apps to the payment processors that collect the profits. Several adtech companies – Los Pollos, TacoLoco and Adtrafico – pose as legitimate affiliate marketing networks. These entities serve as the public face for a criminal operation that leverages compromised websites, malicious spam and fraudulent social media campaigns to funnel millions of victims into scams. 'For years, we thought that VexTrio was just a group of basement hackers,' said Dr. Renée Burton, Vice President of Infoblox Threat Intel. 'This investigation proves that behind the malicious links is a highly organised, multinational corporate entity that has been profiting from fraud on a massive scale. They have built an entire adtech industry to conceal their crimes in plain sight.' Key Findings Massive Scale and Reach: In 2024, VexTrio's affiliate network Los Pollos claimed over 2 billion unique monthly users, and GoDaddy found that nearly 40 per cent of compromised websites it observed were redirecting traffic to VexTrio. One of the group's core Content Delivery Network (CDN) domains ranks in the top 10,000 most popular domains globally. End-to-End Criminal Control: VexTrio develops its own fraudulent products, from fake dating sites to e-commerce and crypto investment platforms. It runs its own payment processors and operates email validation services to support massive spam campaigns. Highly Profitable Scams: The group's network offers affiliates over $100 per lead for fraudulent antivirus products and promoted 'blank credit card' scams with promises of six-figure paydays and up to 300 per cent ROI. Sophisticated and Resilient Infrastructure: The entire global operation runs on a lean infrastructure of fewer than 250 virtual machines, utilising advanced automation tools, multiple hosting providers and legitimate CDN (Content Delivery Network) services to evade detection and ensure resiliency. Corporate Web of Deceit: VexTrio hides behind shell companies that pose as legitimate adtech firms, operating several brands under the guise of affiliate marketing, while simultaneously being responsible for many types of fraud. The report highlights the role of adtech platforms in facilitating large-scale cybercrime and underscores the need for stronger accountability measures. The findings reveal how VexTrio's use of networks such as Los Pollos, TacoLoco and Adtrafico not only provides reach but also creates a potential point of exposure – as these platforms vet and track affiliates, they hold valuable intelligence to help identify the actors responsible for compromising countless websites and defrauding millions of users worldwide. here. Infoblox unites networking, security and cloud to form a platform for operations that's as resilient as it is agile. Trusted by 13,000+ customers, including 92 of the Fortune 100, we seamlessly integrate, secure and automate critical network services so businesses can move fast without compromise. Visit or follow us on LinkedIn.
Techday NZ
05-08-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
AI-driven DNS threats & malicious adtech surge worldwide
Infoblox has published its 2025 DNS Threat Landscape Report, revealing increases in artificial intelligence-driven threats and widespread malicious adtech activity impacting organisations worldwide. DNS exploits rising The report draws on real-time analysis of more than 70 billion daily DNS queries across thousands of customer environments, providing data on how adversaries exploit DNS infrastructure to deceive users, evade detection, and undermine brand trust. Infoblox Threat Intel has identified over 660 unique threat actors and more than 204,000 suspicious domain clusters to date, with 10 new actors highlighted in the past year alone. The findings detail how malicious actors are registering unprecedented numbers of domains, using automation to enable large-scale campaigns and circumvent traditional cyber defences. In the past 12 months, 100.8 million newly observed domains were identified, with 25.1% classed as malicious or suspicious by researchers. According to Infoblox, the vast majority of these threat-related domains (95%) were unique to a single customer environment, increasing difficulty for the wider industry to detect and stop these threats. Malicious adtech and evasive tactics The analysis highlights the growing influence of malicious adtech, with 82% of customer environments reportedly querying domains associated with blacklisted advertising services. Malicious adtech schemes frequently rely on traffic distribution systems (TDS) to serve harmful content and mask the true nature of destination sites. Nearly 500,000 TDS domains were recorded within Infoblox networks over the year. Attackers are also harnessing DNS misconfigurations and deploying advanced techniques such as AI-enabled deepfakes and high-speed domain rotation. These tactics allow adversaries to hijack existing domains or impersonate prominent brands for phishing, malware delivery, drive-by downloads, or scams such as fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes. TDS enables threats to be redirected or disguised rapidly, hindering detection and response efforts. "This year's findings highlight the many ways in which threat actors are taking advantage of DNS to operate their campaigns, both in terms of registering large volumes of domain names and also leveraging DNS misconfigurations to hijack existing domains and impersonate major brands. The report exposes the widespread use of traffic distribution systems (TDS) to help disguise these crimes, among other trends security teams must look out for to stay ahead of attackers," said Dr. Renée Burton, head of Infoblox Threat Intel. Infoblox notes that traditional forensic-based, post-incident detection - also termed a "patient zero" approach - has proven less effective as attackers increase their use of new infrastructures and frequently rotate domains. As threats emerge and evolve at pace, reactive techniques may leave organisations exposed before threats are fully understood or shared across the security industry. AI, tunnelling and the threat intelligence gap DNS is also being leveraged for tunnelling, data exfiltration, and command and control activities. The report documents daily detections of activity involving tools such as Cobalt Strike, Sliver, and custom-built malware, which typically require machine learning algorithms to identify due to their obfuscation methods. Infoblox Threat Intel's research suggests that domain clusters - groups of interrelated domains operated by the same actor - are a significant trend. During the past year, security teams uncovered new actors and observed the continued growth of domain sets used for malicious activities. Proactive security recommended The report advocates a shift towards preemptive protection and predictive threat intelligence, emphasising the limitations of relying solely on detection after the fact. The data indicates that using Infoblox's protective DNS solution, 82% of threat-related queries were blocked before they could have a harmful impact, suggesting that proactive monitoring and early intervention can help counter adversarial tactics. Infoblox researchers argue that combining protective solutions with continuous monitoring of emerging threats is essential to providing security teams the necessary resources and intelligence to disrupt malicious campaigns before significant damage occurs. The report brings together research insights from the past twelve months to map out attack patterns and equip organisations with up-to-date knowledge on DNS-based threats, with a particular focus on the evolving role of harmful adtech in the modern threat landscape.
Scoop
05-08-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Infoblox Unveils 2025 DNS Threat Landscape Report, Revealing Surge In AI-Driven Threats And Malicious Adtech
Press Release – Infoblox Based on pre-attack telemetry and real-time analysis of DNS queries from thousands of customer environmentswith over 70 billion DNS queries per daythe report offers a comprehensive view into how threat actors exploit DNS to deceive users, Infoblox, a leader in cloud networking and security services, today released its 2025 DNS Threat Landscape Report, revealing a dramatic surge in DNS based cyberthreats and the growing sophistication of adversaries leveraging AI-enabled deepfakes, malicious adtech and evasive domain tactics. Based on pre-attack telemetry and real-time analysis of DNS queries from thousands of customer environments—with over 70 billion DNS queries per day—the report offers a comprehensive view into how threat actors exploit DNS to deceive users, evade detection and hijack trust. 'This year's findings highlight the many ways in which threat actors are taking advantage of DNS to operate their campaigns, both in terms of registering large volumes of domain names and also leveraging DNS misconfigurations to hijack existing domains and impersonate major brands,' said Dr. Renée Burton, head of Infoblox Threat Intel. 'The report exposes the widespread use of traffic distribution systems (TDS) to help disguise these crimes, among other trends security teams must look out for to stay ahead of attackers.' Since its inception, Infoblox Threat Intel has identified a total of over 660 unique threat actors and more than 204,000 suspicious domain clusters, meaning a group of domains believed to be registered by the same actor. Over the past 12 months, Infoblox researchers have published research covering 10 new actors. They have uncovered the breadth and depth of malicious adtech, which disguises threats from users through TDS, driving industry thought leadership in this topic. This report brings together findings from the past 12 months to illuminate attack trends, equipping security teams with critical knowledge to keep their edge over bad actors. Particularly, the report sheds light on adtech's role in these attacks. Top Findings Of the 100.8 million newly observed domains in the past year, 25.1 per cent were classified as malicious or suspicious. 95 per cent of threat-related domains were observed in only one customer environment, underscoring the challenges to the security industry to detect and stop threats. 82 per cent of customer environments queried domains associated with malicious adtech, which rotate a massive number of domains to evade security tools and serve malicious content. Nearly 500k traffic distribution system (TDS) domains were seen in the last 12 months within Infoblox networks. Daily detection of DNS Tunnelling, exfiltration, and command and control, including Cobalt Strike, Sliver, and custom tools, which require ML algorithms to detect. Uptick in Newly Observed Domains Infoblox Threat Intel identified 100.8 million newly observed domains, with over 25 percent classified as malicious or suspicious. Over the year, threat actors continuously registered, activated and deployed new domains, often in very large sets through automated registration processes. By increasing their number of domains, threat actors can bypass traditional forensic based defences––which are built on a 'patient zero' approach to security. This reactive approach relies on detecting and analysing threats after they have already been used somewhere else in the world. As attackers leverage increasing levels of new infrastructure, this approach becomes ineffective––leaving organisations vulnerable. Actors are using these domains for an array of malicious purposes, from creating phishing pages to deploying malware through drive-by downloads, to engaging in fraudulent activities and scams, such as fake cryptocurrency investment sites. The Need for Preemptive Security These findings underscore a pressing need for organisations to be proactive in the face of AI equipped attackers. Investing in preemptive security can be the deciding factor in successfully thwarting threat actors. Using predictive threat intelligence, Infoblox's protective DNS solution blocked 82 percent of threat-related queries before their initial impact. Proactive protection, paired with consistent radar on emerging threats, tips the scales in favour of security teams—allowing them to pull ahead of attackers and interrupt their unlimited supply of domains. Access the full Infoblox DNS Threat Landscape Report 2025. Infoblox unites networking, security and cloud to form a platform for operations that's as resilient as it is agile. Trusted by 13,000+ customers, including 92 of the Fortune 100, we seamlessly integrate, secure and automate critical network services so businesses can move fast without compromise. Visit or follow us on LinkedIn.
