Why is it that bing.com obfuscates the link results in searches. This leads to abuse by phishing site who abuse this to obfuscate their real target phishing domain.

Question

Co-Pilot says so:

Bing.com Redirects — Are They a Phishing Haven?

Bing.com redirects themselves are not inherently phishing tools, but they can be part of a browser hijacker or malicious campaign that redirects your searches or clicks to unwanted or malicious sites. In some cases, the redirect is caused by malware that changes your browser’s default search engine, homepage, or extensions to Bing without your consent . In other cases, the redirect happens on Bing’s side — for example, when you click a legitimate Bing search result, the link is altered to send you to a different site, such as a gambling site, instead of the intended destination

So I see my banking site has a Bing link I reported last week as phishing, but it is still up and redirects to a totally different phishing site that mimics my bank's site.

This is not malware, or unintentional, I work in Information Security.

Why is Bing making this easier for the bad guys?

And I can't post an image from Big to Bing while posting this. Total rubbish search site.

Answer 1

Hello Steve Moran,

Thank you for raising this. I understand why a Bing search result that appears to use a Bing redirect URL but ultimately leads to a phishing site, especially one impersonating a bank, would be a serious concern.

Since this is a user-to-user support forum, moderators and contributors cannot inspect Bing’s redirect system, verify the reported URL or remove a search result directly.

Please report both the Bing/source URL and the final destination URL through the following official channels:

• Submit a phishing URL through the Microsoft Security Response Center
• Submit an unsafe site for analysis

If possible, include the search query, whether the result was an organic result or a sponsored ad, the full redirect chain and a screenshot. You can also use the Feedback link at the bottom of the Bing search results page to report the specific result. For more information, please visit How to report a concern or contact Bing

I know this isn't the news you were hoping for, but I wanted to make sure you got the most accurate information about your situation. For safety, please do not post an active phishing link or any banking or personal information publicly in this thread. Thank you so much for your understanding.   

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