Using logo detection technology to identify malicious .nl websites.
LogoMotive helps the fight against internet crime by flagging up unauthorised logo use.
Logos give a website a familiar feel and promote trust. Scammers take advantage of that by using well-known organisations' logos on malicious websites. Unsuspecting internet users see the logos and think that they're looking at a legitimate webshop or government website, when it's actually a phishing site, a fake webshop or a site set up to spread misinformation. So, here at SIDN Labs, we've developed LogoMotive: a prototype tool designed to help analysts identify abusive domain names more quickly by flagging up .nl sites that seem to be making unauthorised use of logos. In this blog we explain why we developed LogoMotive, the research on which it's based and how it works.
Malicious websites often use the logos of authoritative organisations
At SIDN Labs, we're constantly looking for new ways of tackling domain name abuse, in order to protect .nl domain name users against internet crime.
One thing we've observed is that phishing sites, fake webshops and other malicious websites often use the logos of authoritative organisations. Examples include a phishing site with a government logo on its forged DigiD login page (Figure 1a) and a fake webshop with the Trustpilot logo and the logo of a standardisation body (Figure 1b). By putting such logos on their sites, scammers lull visitors into a false sense of security. It's then easier to trick them into parting with money or data, or accepting false information.
read more (sidn)
LogoMotive helps the fight against internet crime by flagging up unauthorised logo use.
Logos give a website a familiar feel and promote trust. Scammers take advantage of that by using well-known organisations' logos on malicious websites. Unsuspecting internet users see the logos and think that they're looking at a legitimate webshop or government website, when it's actually a phishing site, a fake webshop or a site set up to spread misinformation. So, here at SIDN Labs, we've developed LogoMotive: a prototype tool designed to help analysts identify abusive domain names more quickly by flagging up .nl sites that seem to be making unauthorised use of logos. In this blog we explain why we developed LogoMotive, the research on which it's based and how it works.
Malicious websites often use the logos of authoritative organisations
At SIDN Labs, we're constantly looking for new ways of tackling domain name abuse, in order to protect .nl domain name users against internet crime.
One thing we've observed is that phishing sites, fake webshops and other malicious websites often use the logos of authoritative organisations. Examples include a phishing site with a government logo on its forged DigiD login page (Figure 1a) and a fake webshop with the Trustpilot logo and the logo of a standardisation body (Figure 1b). By putting such logos on their sites, scammers lull visitors into a false sense of security. It's then easier to trick them into parting with money or data, or accepting false information.
read more (sidn)
