The infrastructure behind phishing attacks plays a critical role in the success of these scams. Attackers rely on various hosting services and servers to deliver their fraudulent messages and host malicious websites, ensuring their operations can scale and remain undetected for as long as possible. Below are the key ways hosting and infrastructure are used in phishing:

• Compromised Servers: Attackers often hijack legitimate websites and servers to host their phishing pages. By compromising trusted infrastructure, they can make their phishing emails and links seem more legitimate, increasing the likelihood that victims will click on malicious links without suspicion.
• Bulletproof Hosting: Certain hosting providers, known as bulletproof hosts, are notorious for allowing illegal or unethical activity on their servers. These hosts rarely take down phishing sites or spam servers, providing a safe haven for attackers to operate without fear of their sites being removed or reported.
• Domain Spoofing and Fast-Flux Hosting: Attackers use fast-flux hosting techniques to rapidly switch the IP addresses associated with a domain. This makes it harder for authorities to track and shut down phishing websites. Additionally, domain spoofing tricks users into thinking they’re interacting with legitimate websites by using URLs that closely resemble real domains.
• Malware Distribution via Hosting: Phishers often use hosting services to store and distribute malware. Once a victim clicks on a phishing link, they may unknowingly download malware hosted on these servers. The malware could include ransomware, keyloggers, or other types of malicious software designed to steal sensitive information.
• Phishing Kits and Infrastructure-as-a-Service: Many phishing attacks are supported by pre-made phishing kits that attackers can easily deploy. These kits contain all the necessary code, templates, and infrastructure needed to execute phishing campaigns, allowing less technical attackers to run sophisticated attacks with minimal effort.
• Cloud Services Exploitation: Attackers increasingly exploit cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox to host phishing content. Since these platforms are trusted by users, phishing links hosted on them are less likely to raise suspicion. Additionally, using cloud-based services allows phishers to bypass traditional security filters.