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Cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging residential proxy services to mask malicious web traffic, making it appear as routine online activity and evading detection. This tactic involves routing illicit activities through a network of real IP addresses assigned to homes and offices, making it difficult to distinguish between legitimate and harmful traffic. Researchers at the Sleuthcon conference in Arlington, Virginia, highlighted this growing trend, noting that the shift towards using proxies has become significant in recent years as law enforcement agencies have become more effective at targeting traditional "bulletproof" hosting services.

The core issue lies in the fact that proxy services are designed to obfuscate the source of web traffic, making it nearly impossible to identify malicious actors within a node. As Thibault Seret, a researcher at Team Cymru, explained, the strength of a proxy service lies in its anonymity, which while beneficial for internet freedom, presents a major challenge for analyzing and identifying harmful activities. This is particularly true of residential proxies, which use real IP addresses of everyday internet users, blurring the lines between legitimate and criminal behavior.

The use of residential proxies by cybercriminals represents a significant shift in tactics, prompting security professionals to reassess their detection strategies. These proxies operate on consumer devices like old Android phones or low-end laptops, making it even more difficult to trace the origin of malicious activities. As criminals and companies seek to maintain anonymity and privacy, they are increasingly relying on these services, complicating the efforts to combat cybercrime effectively.

ImgSrc: cdn.arstechnica

References :

• www.wired.com: Cybercriminals Are Hiding Malicious Web Traffic in Plain Sight: In an effort to evade detection, cybercriminals are increasingly turning to “residential proxy†services that cover their tracks by making it look like everyday online activity | WIRED
• arstechnica.com: Cybercriminals turn to “residential proxy†services to hide malicious traffic
• arstechnica.com: Cybercriminals turn to “residential proxy†services to hide malicious traffic

Classification:

• HashTags: #Cybersecurity #MaliciousTraffic #ProxyServices
• Target: Websites
• Attacker: Cybercriminals
• Product: Web traffic
• Feature: Malicious Traffic
• Type: Cyber Crime
• Severity: High