type: attack-pattern
spec_version: 2.1
id: attack-pattern--e5d550f3-2202-4634-85f2-4a200a1d49b3
created: 2022-09-30T21:14:12.284Z
created_by_ref: identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5
revoked: no
external_references: source_name: mitre-attack
url: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1608/006
external_id: T1608.006
source_name: MalwareBytes SEO
description: Arntz, P. (2018, May 29). SEO poisoning: Is it worth it?. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
url: https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2018/05/seo-poisoning-is-it-worth-it
source_name: Atlas SEO
description: Atlas Cybersecurity. (2021, April 19). Threat Actors use Search-Engine-Optimization Tactics to Redirect Traffic and Install Malware. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
url: https://atlas-cybersecurity.com/cyber-threats/threat-actors-use-search-engine-optimization-tactics-to-redirect-traffic-and-install-malware/
source_name: Sophos Gootloader
description: Szappanos, G. & Brandt, A. (2021, March 1). “Gootloader” expands its payload delivery options. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
url: https://news.sophos.com/en-us/2021/03/01/gootloader-expands-its-payload-delivery-options/
source_name: DFIR Report Gootloader
description: The DFIR Report. (2022, May 9). SEO Poisoning – A Gootloader Story. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
url: https://thedfirreport.com/2022/05/09/seo-poisoning-a-gootloader-story/
source_name: ZScaler SEO
description: Wang, J. (2018, October 17). Ubiquitous SEO Poisoning URLs. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
url: https://www.zscaler.com/blogs/security-research/ubiquitous-seo-poisoning-urls-0
source_name: Chexmarx-seo
description: Yehuda Gelb. (2023, November 30). The GitHub Black Market: Gaming the Star Ranking Game. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
url: https://zero.checkmarx.com/the-github-black-market-gaming-the-star-ranking-game-fc42f5913fb7
source_name: Checkmarx-oss-seo
description: Yehuda Gelb. (2024, April 10). New Technique to Trick Developers Detected in an Open Source Supply Chain Attack. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
url: https://checkmarx.com/blog/new-technique-to-trick-developers-detected-in-an-open-source-supply-chain-attack/
object_marking_refs: marking-definition--fa42a846-8d90-4e51-bc29-71d5b4802168
modified: 2025-04-15T23:01:38.651Z
name: SEO Poisoning
description: Adversaries may poison mechanisms that influence search engine optimization (SEO) to further lure staged capabilities towards potential victims. Search engines typically display results to users based on purchased ads as well as the site’s ranking/score/reputation calculated by their web crawlers and algorithms.(Citation: Atlas SEO)(Citation: MalwareBytes SEO)

To help facilitate [Drive-by Compromise](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1189), adversaries may stage content that explicitly manipulates SEO rankings in order to promote sites hosting their malicious payloads (such as [Drive-by Target](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1608/004)) within search engines. Poisoning SEO rankings may involve various tricks, such as stuffing keywords (including in the form of hidden text) into compromised sites. These keywords could be related to the interests/browsing habits of the intended victim(s) as well as more broad, seasonably popular topics (e.g. elections, trending news).(Citation: ZScaler SEO)(Citation: Atlas SEO)

In addition to internet search engines (such as Google), adversaries may also aim to manipulate specific in-site searches for developer platforms (such as GitHub) to deceive users towards [Supply Chain Compromise](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1195) lures. In-site searches will rank search results according to their own algorithms and metrics such as popularity(Citation: Chexmarx-seo) which may be targeted and gamed by malicious actors.(Citation: Checkmarx-oss-seo)

Adversaries may also purchase or plant incoming links to staged capabilities in order to boost the site’s calculated relevance and reputation.(Citation: MalwareBytes SEO)(Citation: DFIR Report Gootloader)

SEO poisoning may also be combined with evasive redirects and other cloaking mechanisms (such as measuring mouse movements or serving content based on browser user agents, user language/localization settings, or HTTP headers) in order to feed SEO inputs while avoiding scrutiny from defenders.(Citation: ZScaler SEO)(Citation: Sophos Gootloader)
kill_chain_phases: kill_chain_name: mitre-attack
phase_name: resource-development
x_mitre_attack_spec_version: 3.2.0
x_mitre_contributors: Menachem Goldstein
Vijay Lalwani
Will Thomas, Equinix Threat Analysis Center (ETAC)
Will Jolliffe
Hiroki Nagahama, NEC Corporation
Manikantan Srinivasan, NEC Corporation India
Pooja Natarajan, NEC Corporation India
x_mitre_deprecated: no
x_mitre_domains: enterprise-attack
x_mitre_is_subtechnique: yes
x_mitre_modified_by_ref: identity--c78cb6e5-0c4b-4611-8297-d1b8b55e40b5
x_mitre_platforms: PRE
x_mitre_version: 1.1