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AkiraBot AI Targets 400,000 Websites, Poses Security Risks for SEO

Security

Business Honor
10 April, 2025

AkiraBot spams over 400,000 websites using AI, bypassing security measures and CAPTCHA protections.

Researchers studying cybersecurity have revealed information on AkiraBot, a platform driven by artificial intelligence (AI) that is used to promote questionable search engine optimization (SEO) services like Akira and ServicewrapGO by bombarding website chats, comment areas and contact forms.

According to a report shared with The Hacker News by SentinelOne researchers Alex Delamotte and Jim Walter, AkiraBot has targeted over 400,000 websites and successfully spammed at least 80,000 since September 2024. The bot utilizes OpenAI to create personalized outreach messages customized to the specific purpose of each website.

The activity's targets include chat widgets and contact forms seen on websites are run by small and medium-sized businesses. The framework shares spam content that is produced by OpenAI's large language models (LLMs). The unique feature of the Python-based "sprawling" tool is its capacity to create content that avoids spam filters.

The bulk messaging technology is thought to have been in use since at least September 2024 initially going by the name "Shopbot" in what seems to be a reference to Shopify-using websites. AkiraBot's targeting footprint has grown over time to encompass websites created with GoDaddy, Wix, and Squarespace in addition to those with Reamaze-built live chat widgets and generic contact forms.

The tool's ability to circumvent CAPTCHA restrictions on spam websites at scale and avoid network-based detections by using a proxy service that is normally provided to advertisers is another noteworthy feature. Cloudflare Turnstile, reCAPTCHA, and hCAPTCHA are the CAPTCHA services that are being targeted.

A cybercrime tool called Xanthorox AI which is promoted as an all-in-one chatbot that can manage code production, malware development, vulnerability exploitation and data analysis has emerged concurrently with the development. Also, the platform facilitates speech-based communication using asynchronous voice messaging and real-time audio calls.