Security firms Layer3 Intel and Synthient uncovered that an individual on the White House network appears to be running applications containing proxy software development kits. The timing of the traffic indicates the activity originates from an internal user active during the late evening rather than daytime guests. Researchers noted that Synthient pinpointed the watch party platform Rave, which bundles a dozen proxy tools, as a plausible source of the traffic. This exposure allows external customers to route online requests through executive branch systems for minimal fees.
Key points
Unvetted consumer applications can accidentally turn secure federal computers into commer…: Unvetted consumer applications can accidentally turn secure federal computers into commercial proxy nodes available for public rent.
Bad actors can leverage legitimate residential proxies to bypass defensive filters, conce…: Bad actors can leverage legitimate residential proxies to bypass defensive filters, conceal traffic origins, and stage account takeovers.
One of the communicating proxy networks, Infatica, was founded by an individual previousl…: One of the communicating proxy networks, Infatica, was founded by an individual previously connected to state election cyberattacks in 2016.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Someone at the White House appears to be running software that could enable outsiders to rent access on the presidential network for just “a few dollars,” as reported by Krebs on Security and The Register. That’s according to findings from the security firms Layer3 Intel and Synthient, which discovered residential proxy activity on the White House network.
Just about anyone can rent access to White House IP addresses
Security researchers discovered residential proxy activity on the White House’s network.
Security researchers discovered residential proxy activity on the White House’s network.
A residential proxy opens up a way for people to rent access to a home IP address and route their internet traffic through it, allowing them to conceal where their activity is actually coming from. Some apps and browser extensions include third-party software development kits (SDKs) that put proxy nodes on a user’s device — whether users know it or not. Third-party services can then sell access to the residential proxies on users’ devices.
As noted by the cybersecurity firm Spur, people can legitimately use residential proxies for purposes like…
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