Fraudulent gambling network may actually be something more nefarious

A fraudulent gambling network that has been operating for 14 years is suspected to be a dual operation run by a nation-state-sponsored group targeting US and European government and private-industry organizations. The network compromises poorly configured websites running WordPress and exploits web apps built with PHP to install backdoors for hosting gambling content. The operation primarily targets Indonesian-speaking visitors due to the prohibition of gambling in Indonesia. Researchers believe the network is more complex than previously thought, likely serving nation-state hackers targeting various sectors like manufacturing, transport, healthcare, government, and education. The extensive infrastructure, consisting of 328,000 domains and 1,500 hijacked subdomains, may cost between $725,000 to $17 million annually to maintain.