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Since last year’s IC3 report (IC3 Report), Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 has identified and blocked 91,500+ smishing domains, with a significant surge in March 2025 peaking at 26,000 domain registrations. The research highlights four common domain-naming patterns used in these attacks. For deeper insights, refer to their full analysis: Smishing Domain Report.
You Should Know: How to Detect and Mitigate Smishing Attacks
Smishing (SMS phishing) leverages deceptive domains to trick users into revealing sensitive data. Below are verified commands, tools, and steps to analyze and defend against such threats:
1. Identify Suspicious Domains with WHOIS & Dig
whois example.com Check domain registration details dig example.com Query DNS records for anomalies
2. Analyze Domain Patterns with Regex (Linux/Windows)
Linux: Use grep to filter suspicious domains from logs
grep -E '([0-9]{2,}|toll|usps|track)' access.log
Windows: PowerShell equivalent
Select-String -Path .\traffic.log -Pattern '([0-9]{2,}|toll|usps|track)'
3. Block Malicious Domains via Hosts File
Linux/Windows: Add smishing domains to hosts file echo "0.0.0.0 malicious-domain.com" | sudo tee -a /etc/hosts Linux Add-Content -Path C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts -Value "0.0.0.0 malicious-domain.com" Windows
4. Monitor Traffic with tcpdump (Linux)
sudo tcpdump -i eth0 'port 53' -w dns_queries.pcap Capture DNS queries
5. Automate Detection with Python
import re
log_data = open("access.log").read()
smishing_patterns = re.findall(r'(usps|toll|track[0-9]{3,})', log_data)
print("Detected smishing URLs:", smishing_patterns)
What Undercode Say
Smishing attacks exploit urgency and impersonation. Defenders must:
- Verify short URLs with tools like URLScan.
- Deploy DNS filtering (Pi-hole, Cisco Umbrella).
- Educate users on spotting fake domains (e.g., `usps-track[.]com` vs
usps.com). - Leverage threat intelligence feeds for real-time blocklists.
Expected Output:
- A hardened system logging and blocking suspicious domains.
- Reduced risk of credential theft via smishing.
- Enhanced visibility into phishing campaigns using CLI tools.
For further reading:
References:
Reported By: Unit42 Smishing – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
