hacker-news · Crawled Aug 17, 2026

Hackers Spend Nearly $7 Million on Expired Domains to Redirect Traffic to Scams and Malware

7 IoCs 6 Malware
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AI Summary

Threat actor Sable Squirrel has spent nearly $7 million acquiring expired domains to exploit their inherited reputation, traffic, and backlinks for illegal sports streaming, online gambling promotion, and malware distribution. The group operates a dual-purpose infrastructure where re-registered domains serve both as streaming platforms and command-and-control (C2) servers for malware such as Quasar RAT and HiddenTear ransomware. The operation targets users in Asia and Australia through social media and ad networks, using a traffic distribution system to redirect victims while evading detection. Additional scavenger actors like Stuffy Squirrel, Shady Squirrel, and Swiping Squirrel are also abusing expired domains for ad fraud, tech support scams, and traffic resale.

AI-extracted · verify before operational use

Extracted Entities 6 found

Malware Quasar RAT → Malware AsyncRAT → Malware DCRat → Malware Nanocore RAT → Malware NjRAT → Malware HiddenTear →

Indicators of Compromise 7 extracted

Type Value Detail
Domain healthymagination[.]com Details →
Domain maxfactor-international[.]com Details →
Domain krogeralbertsons[.]com Details →
Domain snsystems[.]com Details →
Domain rezilion[.]com Details →
Domain cel-robox[.]com Details →
Domain 6789x[.]site Details →

MITRE ATT&CK TTPs 63 techniques

T1059.001 PowerShell · Execution T1071.001 Web Protocols · Command And Control T1074 Data Staged · Collection T1082 System Information Discovery · Discovery T1090 Proxy · Command And Control T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer · Command And Control T1112 Modify Registry · Defense Evasion T1129 Shared Modules · Execution T1137 Office Application Startup · Persistence T1140 Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information · Defense Evasion T1176 Browser Extensions · Persistence T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application · Initial Access T1197 BITS Jobs · Defense Evasion T1204.002 Malicious File · Execution T1211 Exploitation for Defense Evasion · Defense Evasion T1218.011 Rundll32 · Defense Evasion T1484.001 Group Policy Modification · Defense Evasion T1497.001 System Checks · Defense Evasion T1547.001 Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder · Persistence T1553.005 Mark-of-the-Web Bypass · Defense Evasion T1566 Phishing · Initial Access T1570 Lateral Tool Transfer · Lateral Movement T1571 Non-Standard Port · Command And Control T1573 Encrypted Channel · Command And Control T1574.002 DLL Side-Loading · Persistence T1583 Acquire Infrastructure · Resource Development T1584 Compromise Infrastructure · Resource Development T1586 Compromise Accounts · Resource Development T1595.002 Vulnerability Scanning · Reconnaissance T1006 Direct Volume Access · Defense Evasion T1012 Query Registry · Discovery T1014 Rootkit · Defense Evasion T1027 Obfuscated Files or Information · Defense Evasion T1027.013 Encrypted/Encoded File · Defense Evasion T1036.005 Match Legitimate Name or Location · Defense Evasion T1053.005 Scheduled Task · Execution T1055 Process Injection · Defense Evasion T1055.012 Process Hollowing · Defense Evasion T1055.015 ListPlanting · Defense Evasion T1057 Process Discovery · Discovery T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation · Privilege Escalation T1069.001 Local Groups · Discovery T1070.004 File Deletion · Defense Evasion T1071.003 Mail Protocols · Command And Control T1078 Valid Accounts · Defense Evasion T1085 T1085 T1102.001 Dead Drop Resolver · Command And Control T1113 Screen Capture · Collection T1133 External Remote Services · Persistence T1195.001 Compromise Software Dependencies and Development Tools · Initial Access T1202 Indirect Command Execution · Defense Evasion T1490 Inhibit System Recovery · Impact T1543.003 Windows Service · Persistence T1548 Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism · Privilege Escalation T1548.002 Bypass User Account Control · Privilege Escalation T1555.003 Credentials from Web Browsers · Credential Access T1558.003 Kerberoasting · Credential Access T1564.003 Hidden Window · Defense Evasion T1608.001 Upload Malware · Resource Development T1685 T1685 T1036 Masquerading · Defense Evasion T1053.003 Cron · Execution T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter · Execution