Unraveling Digital Fraud:
One of the standout studies from the COMET project, in collaboration with University College London, has analyzed in depth the scam known as "Hello, Mum and Dad," which operates via SMS. "We interacted with suspected fraudsters by posing as potential victims. Through 711 interactions, we identified 582 mule accounts used by the fraudsters, who attempted to obtain more than £577,000 in three months," explains Suarez-Tangil. This work, published in USENIX Security 2025, demonstrates how cybercriminals exploit the services of mobile operators and financial institutions to commit fraud.
Tools for Early Threat Detection
Within the framework of the project, the IOC Stalker tool has been developed, designed to extract intelligence on Indicators of Compromise (IoCs) from underground marketplaces. "We have analyzed a high-profile hacking forum that allows us to detect IoCs approximately 490 days before they appear in open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources, used by popular antivirus programs," highlights Suarez-Tangil.
Malicious Code Patterns and Their Impact on Digital Platforms
The research team has also identified patterns of code reuse in fraudulent attacks. “We collected a large amount of malicious code from underground forums, email attachments, and GitHub repositories. We found three repositories with Instagram spam programs that share large portions of code, as well as seven ransomware samples (a type of malware) on GitHub, including a ransomware collection repository,” Suarez-Tangil notes.
Analysis of the Spread of Disinformation:
The findings of the COMET project have also allowed for the study of the spread of information on social media and the formation of echo chambers. In one case study, they analyzed three recent and highly controversial political issues, primarily in the United States, along with one non-controversial issue: the war between Russia and Ukraine, abortion, gun control, and the SXSW music festival. It was observed that “there is a greater echo chamber effect among Republicans compared to Democrats and broad explicit support for Ukraine, especially among Democrats,” explains Suarez-Tangil. Furthermore, it was found that lower polarization is correlated with a smaller echo chamber effect, as in the case of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Future Perspectives:
The methods developed in the COMET lay the groundwork for future research on emerging threats. "We want to apply these methodologies to the study of the Metaverse and new trends in online fraud," concludes Suarez-Tangil.
