How Cybercriminals Are Outsmarting Google’s Red Warning with Dark Web Anti-Bots
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As cybercriminals on the dark web get more advanced, they’ve now developed 'anti-bot services' that make malicious sites appear harmless to Google, dodging those familiar Red Page warnings.
In a new revelation on October 12, SlashNext’s threat research team unveiled how these anti-bot services, advertised on the dark web, help criminals slip past Google’s security defenses. These advanced tools, such as Otus Anti-Bot, Remove Red, and Limitless Anti-Bot, are packed with sophisticated tech like bot detection, IP filtering, cloaking, geolocation targeting, and CAPTCHA pages.
SlashNext shared, “By filtering out cybersecurity bots and hiding phishing pages from scanners, these tools prevent detection and blocklisting, giving criminals more time to operate undetected.”
The Growing Threat of Anti-Bots: Insights from SlashNext Researchers
To dig deeper into this unsettling trend, we spoke to Jimmy Lin, SlashNext’s Senior Director of Product Management. Lin explained, “Anti-bots, used by threat actors, are designed to prevent security companies from scanning phishing webpages. Without access to these sites, security vendors can’t block them or update their databases, leaving people and businesses open to attacks.”
These technologies aren't just about making money for criminals; they lead to credential theft, financial loss, and can even tarnish reputations. Anti-bots are capable of deploying CAPTCHAs to confirm that a visitor is human and can block IPs linked to cybersecurity vendors. By doing so, they avoid being flagged by automated security scans, helping them hide in plain sight.
“This makes anti-bot protections a real hurdle for cybersecurity efforts,” Lin said, emphasizing how challenging it is to block malicious sites when they are actively disguising themselves.
The Reach and Cost of Anti-Bots: Who Can Access Them?
Tools like OTUS Anti-Bot are surprisingly affordable, with leases starting at $10 a day or $800 for a year. This low cost makes these tools accessible even to less skilled attackers. In fact, according to Lin, anti-bots have become quite popular: “About 60% of phishing URLs flagged by SlashNext’s Cloud Email Security service are using anti-bot tactics to slip through detection.”
With phishing kits like FishXProxy, which was uncovered by SlashNext earlier this year, even basic phishing toolkits now come equipped with anti-bot services built-in.
Cybersecurity Companies Still Have a Fighting Chance
Despite the threat, security experts are finding ways to counter these anti-bot protections. Josh Jacobson, Director of Professional Services at HackerOne, a firm that collaborates with ethical hackers, shared his perspective on anti-bots. Jacobson noted that anti-bots assess traffic signatures to show a ‘clean’ version of the site to bots, while running the actual malicious site for human visitors.
Jacobson explained, “These bots are really just buying time. It’s like a race against detection. Cybersecurity companies like Google have vast resources, but criminals with anti-bots are working with smaller teams and limited tools.”
Lin added that there’s some positive news: “Techniques like stealth browsers and session emulation allow security teams to inspect phishing pages without triggering anti-bot defenses. Using rotating proxies or fresh IPs can also be effective.”
Protecting Yourself from Anti-Bot-Enhanced Phishing Scams
Lin stressed that even cautious users can fall for highly sophisticated phishing pages, especially as scammers impersonate well-known brands like Microsoft or Apple with precision. The goal is to make fake websites appear as convincing as possible, making it harder to identify a scam.
A few key tips:
- Double-check URLs: Ensure the domain matches the real site, e.g., “microsoft.com” and not a variation.
- Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails: These are often phishing traps.
- Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adding an extra layer of security, especially biometric MFA, makes it much harder for attackers to succeed, even if they get your credentials.
Still, phishing sites today are so well-mimicked that even vigilant users struggle to spot them. That’s why advanced, AI-driven tools are critical for spotting these threats where human detection may fall short.
Bottom Line: Staying Ahead of the Criminal Game
It’s clear that cybercriminals in the malware market aren’t slowing down. From easy-to-use tech to AI-enhanced phishing tools, their kits are more accessible than ever. While companies like Google will continue improving their defenses, this tug-of-war won’t end anytime soon. Ultimately, staying educated and alert is everyone’s best defense against these evolving cyber threats.
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