DNSFilter Identifies Increased Malicious Domains Targeting Job Seekers

DNSFilter reported a rise in malicious domains containing terms like “careers,” “hiring,” and “jobs,” as job scams proliferate in a challenging job market.

Research from DNSFilter identified trends related to hiring scams, indicating that 8,724 domains with the term “jobs” and 1,161 with the term “careers” were categorized as malicious. The data suggests an increased threat to job seekers since the beginning of 2025.

The company noted that 88% of these malicious domains were newly registered or recently observed. Barriers to detection include excessive hyphens in URLs and fake domains mimicking legitimate sites.

Gregg Jones, intelligence analyst lead at DNSFilter, emphasized the importance of vigilance among job seekers, who typically submit numerous applications before securing offers. Homomorphic Encryption (HE) stated, “All aspects of our lives are vulnerable to bad actors given the right mix of emotions, timing, and environmental factors.”

To mitigate risks, job seekers are encouraged to scrutinize unsolicited job offers and dubious URLs. Organizations should monitor Domain Name System (DNS) traffic for workplace-related domains and update detection protocols accordingly.