At Gen Threat Labs, researchers have identified a sophisticated Traffic Direction System (TDS) known as “HelloTDS,” which is responsible for distributing FakeCaptcha and other malicious campaigns to millions of users across the globe.This intricate network utilizes advanced fingerprinting methods combined with social engineering tactics to selectively target victims. In just April and May 2025, it managed to infect more than 4.3 million devices. The scale of this operation is immense, with major impacts seen in regions such as the United States, Brazil, India, and Western Europe. Meanwhile, when considering population size and user density, countries in the Balkans and parts of Africa, including Rwanda, Egypt, Tanzania, and Kenya, experience the highest relative levels of risk. The HelloTDS network carefully selects its targets by analyzing factors such as geographic location, IP address, and browser fingerprinting, deliberately blocking connections from VPNs and headless browsers to avoid being identified. The infection process starts when users access compromised or attacker-operated platforms, including streaming sites, file-sharing portals, torrent mirrors, or through malicious advertisements. Notable entry points include domains such as dailyuploads[.]net and streamtape[.]to, which host harmful scripts designed to connect users to HelloTDS infrastructure. This TDS system carries out a multi-layered fingerprinting process: first, it evaluates the user’s IP and location on the server side, then, within the browser, it gathers comprehensive data such as window size, WebGL vendor details, battery information, and even checks for signs of virtual environments to detect sandboxes. This latest variant employs Unicode mathematical fonts to conceal its presence, making it more difficult for security tools to detect. HelloTDS frequently changes its domains, which are often registered through Pananames in Panama and hosted on specific IP address ranges. It also uses distinctive HTTP headers, such as “megageocheckolololo,” to further avoid detection. Some redirectors imitate legitimate software websites, mixing malicious and benign activities to bypass scrutiny. To protect themselves, users should use real-time security software, activate browser anti-tracking features, and be cautious when using file-sharing sites. Additionally, refraining from copying and pasting commands from untrusted sources is essential to prevent accidental self-infection.
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