A new wave of malvertising campaigns has emerged, targeting graphic design professionals through Google Search ads. Researchers have tracked these campaigns since November 2024, identifying two IP addresses—185.11.61[.]243 and 185.147.124[.]110—used to host malicious domains. The attackers exploit Google Search ads to direct unsuspecting users to harmful websites that prompt them to download malicious files. These files can compromise both corporate environments and individual security, posing a significant threat to digital safety.
The malvertising campaign begins with the domain frecadsolutions[.]com, which launched the attack in early November 2024. Over time, the campaign expanded, creating subtle variations of this domain, such as frecadsolutions[.]cc and freecad-solutions[.]net, to increase its reach and effectiveness. On November 14, 2024, the attackers shifted to a different domain, also hosted on the same IP address, which used Bitbucket—a trusted file hosting platform—to distribute the malware. This strategic use of legitimate platforms further complicates the detection of malicious content.
The malicious domains continued to evolve and spread, with a new campaign launched on December 9, 2024, via the domain onshape3d[.]org, hosted on the second identified IP address, 185.147.124[.]110. This shift in domains, combined with variations in the tactics and tools used, indicates a highly organized and persistent threat actor behind these campaigns. Despite these ongoing threats, there seems to be a lack of swift action by major players, such as Google, in addressing the issue. The delay in response underlines the challenges of preventing malvertising and the complexities of monitoring such campaigns.
Silent Push, a cybersecurity research group, has been proactive in tracking and compiling an Indicators of Future Attack (IOFA) Feed, which focuses on the domains and IPs used in these malvertising campaigns. This feed serves as an essential resource for organizations seeking to enhance their security measures and detect emerging threats. The persistence of such campaigns demonstrates the evolving tactics of cybercriminals and the growing need for more robust investigative and preventive actions to protect users from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Reference:
