Threat Intelligence Report
Date: August 28, 2024
Prepared by: David Brunsdon, Threat Intelligence - Security Engineer, HYAS
As the US election approaches, the surge in political activity and heightened public interest make it an attractive target for cybercriminals. In each election cycle, billions of dollars are donated to support various candidates and political causes. For example, the 2020 US election saw an unprecedented amount of over $14 billion in donations, surpassing any previous election in US history. This enormous influx of funds creates opportunities for threat actors to exploit vulnerable donors and organizations.
One such tactic, which has been observed in the past and appears to be resurfacing, involves the creation of fake domains that closely mimic legitimate donation websites. In 2016, following the Democratic National Convention (DNC) hacks, Buzzfeed News reported that cybercriminals had set up fake domains to impersonate legitimate political websites, aiming to trick users into donating to fraudulent causes.
ActsBlue Phishing Site
Now, this tactic seems to be active again. The domain actsblue[.]com has been identified as a phishing site designed to look identical to actblue.com, the official platform for Democratic Party donations. Unlike the legitimate site actblue.com, which is registered with Amazon AWS, actsblue[.]com is registered with Namecheap, a registrar known for providing anonymity through redacted WHOIS data and accepting bitcoin payments. This anonymity makes it challenging to trace the domain back to the original threat actors, making it difficult to attribute it to the same group responsible for similar attacks in the past.
Look for Unlikely Account Names
One suspicious element of the phishing page is the large variety of payment options, some with unlikely account names:
Zelle Payment: diazjohana394@gmail[.]com
Cash App Payment: $MollyManisay
Venmo Payment: $JJWDiaz
Bitcoin Payment: bc1q856ynd25sf43suwcy4shlszdkkxk42ahlpe6ec
Ethereum Payment: 0xC8623b18327957751A2ffbEEdAd002319A52D367
USDT Ethereum (ERC20) Payment: 0xC8623b18327957751A2ffbEEdAd002319A52D367
For USDT Tron (TRC20) Payment: TGfoTqZLc3SNYkataG8pBf1vTvDf3Z62QK
A domain like this could be combined with phone calls, text messages, or emails to direct potential donors to the malicious site. This case underscores the importance of vigilance among donors and political organizations as the election draws near. Cybercriminals are likely to continue exploiting the chaotic and high-stakes environment to siphon funds and sow confusion.
Suspicious Domains Identified
In our investigation, we have identified a series of suspicious domains, all registered through domain.com and using the same nameservers: ns1.dotster.com and ns2.dotster.com. These domains include:
nationalcommittee[.]democrat
nationalcommittee[.]republican
republicanpac[.]net
democraticnationalcommittee[.]co
democratnationalcommittee[.]org
republicannationalcommittee[.]org
While some of these sites appear to accept donations, it is unclear where the funds are actually directed. The consistent configuration across these domains suggests they may have been registered by the same actor. We strongly advise against making donations through these sites until more information is available.
Warning: Be Cautious When Making Donations
As the election season heats up, it’s crucial to be vigilant about where you send your donations. Cybercriminals often take advantage of the heightened emotions and urgency surrounding elections to deceive well-meaning donors. If you receive a request for a donation via phone call, email, or text message, always verify the legitimacy of the source before proceeding. Do not click on links or provide payment information unless you are certain that the request is genuine.
For those wishing to support political campaigns, the official websites for donations are:
Republican Party: winred.com
Democratic Party: actblue.com
Donating through these sites ensures that your contributions are directed to the intended recipients.
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Disclaimer: This Threat Intelligence Report is provided “as is” and for informational purposes only. HYAS disclaims all warranties, express or implied, regarding the report’s completeness, accuracy, or reliability. You are solely responsible for exercising your own due diligence when accessing and using this Report's information. The analyses expressed in this Report reflect our current understanding of available information based on our independent research using the HYAS Insight platform. The Report’s inclusion of any companies, organizations, or ASNs does not imply any wrongdoing on their part; it is simply an indication of where digital threat activities have been observed. HYAS reserves the right to update the Report as additional information is made known to us.
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