Hacklink Marketplace Drives Increase in Covert SEO Poisoning Attacks

A growing wave of SEO poisoning attacks is being driven by a black market platform known as Hacklink, which enables cybercriminals to hijack search engine rankings by injecting malicious links into thousands of compromised websites.

This tactic, uncovered by researchers, increasingly targets sectors such as online gambling, with attackers leveraging automation tools to elevate scam content in search results.

A New Kind of Exploitation

The Hacklink platform allows threat actors to browse and purchase access to already-compromised websites. From there, they can inject hidden JavaScript code that includes tailored keywords and anchor text. While this code is invisible to users, it is designed to influence search engine crawlers. Consequently, scam or phishing domains can appear higher in search results, often surpassing trusted brands.

What distinguishes this campaign is its technical subtlety. Unlike traditional website defacements, which are easily detectable, these injected links are deeply embedded in source code and strategically selected for their reputational value. Domains ending in .gov, .edu, and various country code TLDs are particularly coveted for the ranking boost they provide.

Organized Groups Behind Attacks

Two prominent groups, known as Neon SEO Academy and SEOLink (also referred to as SkylinkSEO), are actively providing these illicit services.

Neon SEO Academy reportedly has access to over 15,000 compromised domains and primarily targets Turkey’s online gambling market through phishing and fraud campaigns. Operatives such as “Helen Wood” and “David Kaya” are believed to coordinate these activities via messaging platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, and WeChat.

SEOLink offers similar services, including tools for bulk link injection and Private Blog Network (PBN) exploitation, further blurring the line between aggressive marketing tactics and criminal activity.

These SEO poisoning campaigns typically involve:
– Gaining access to a vulnerable or poorly secured website
– Injecting JavaScript or HTML with keyword-optimized links
– Elevating scam content in search results through association with reputable domains
– Redirecting unsuspecting users to phishing or malware pages
– Remotely altering how legitimate sites appear in Google search snippets

Widespread Security Implications

The SEO poisoning method often commences with an unnoticed website compromise. The injected code manipulates Google’s ranking signals while remaining concealed from users. More concerning is that the attackers can modify the search appearance of legitimate websites without needing direct control, thus jeopardizing brand integrity and user trust.

This campaign highlights a broader shift in cybercrime towards blending technical compromise with marketing manipulation. Industries where trust and brand integrity are paramount, such as online gambling, banking, and cryptocurrency trading, could face severe consequences. Cybercriminals leveraging such technical capabilities suggest that any industry could likely become a target of these sophisticated criminal schemes.

To mitigate these threats, organizations are advised to routinely audit backlinks, patch vulnerabilities, and monitor changes in their search presence through tools like Google Search Console.