# PhishDestroy threat dossier — covert.exchange ================================================================ Fetched: 2026-06-29 19:53:04 UTC Canonical: https://phishdestroy.io/domain/covert.exchange/ ## VERDICT ---------------------------------------------------------------- TAKEN DOWN (neutralised) Composite threat score: 98/100 (PhishDestroy scoring — see methodology below) Scam classification: Fake Exchange ## DETECTION EVIDENCE ---------------------------------------------------------------- VirusTotal: 5/91 security vendors flagged this domain Flagging vendors: alphaMountain.ai, CRDF, Fortinet, Gridinsoft, SOCRadar Public blocklists: listed on 1 independent blocklist ## INFRASTRUCTURE ---------------------------------------------------------------- IP address: 188.114.96.3 (US, San Francisco) ASN: ASAS13335 CLOUDFLARENET - Cloudflare, Inc., US Hosting org: AS13335 Cloudflare, Inc. Registrar: NICENIC INTERNATIONAL GROUP CO., LIMITED !!! REGISTRAR INTEGRITY ALERT — NiceNIC !!! NiceNIC International: over 90% of its registered domains are associated with illegal content; documented systematic abuse-report non-response. Primary sources: https://phishdestroy.io/nicenic-real https://phishdestroy.io/nicenic-verdict Nameservers: gloria.ns.cloudflare.com, yichun.ns.cloudflare.com Registered: 2026-04-28 Expires: 2027-04-28 Page title: Covert | Anonymous Crypto Exchange HTTP response: 200 ## ABUSE-REPORT HISTORY (evidence of registrar non-response) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Status: CLOSED — no report required. This domain was neutralised before the abuse-report cycle could be dispatched — either the hosting provider / registrar suspended it on their own, the DNS went dead, or the operator abandoned the infrastructure. PhishDestroy keeps the evidence bundle on file for audit but no formal notice was sent. ## TIMELINE ---------------------------------------------------------------- Domain registered: 2026-04-28 (per WHOIS / CT — may reflect a renewal or transfer date, not first-ever registration) First detected: 2026-05-29 13:23:47 UTC (by PhishDestroy tracker) First reported: 2026-05-29 13:23:45 UTC (abuse notice filed) Last verified: 2026-06-29 20:20:35 UTC Neutralised: 2026-06-06 17:29:36 UTC Current status: taken down (registrar suspended or DNS dead) ## EXTERNAL CORROBORATION (third-party evidence) ---------------------------------------------------------------- URLScan.io: https://urlscan.io/result/019e7342-21ff-712f-ad7f-0c5dadc00284/ Wayback Machine: https://web.archive.org/web/*/covert.exchange crt.sh CT logs: https://crt.sh/?q=%25.covert.exchange Google transparency: https://transparencyreport.google.com/safe-browsing/search?url=covert.exchange AlienVault OTX: https://otx.alienvault.com/indicator/domain/covert.exchange URLhaus: https://urlhaus.abuse.ch/host/covert.exchange/ ## ANALYST NARRATIVE ---------------------------------------------------------------- [Generated: 2026-06-26 04:25:03 UTC — narrative may predate facts above. Treat fields in TIMELINE / DETECTION EVIDENCE / INFRASTRUCTURE as authoritative if they differ from the prose below.] This domain, covert.exchange, is actively engaged in cryptocurrency-themed phishing operations targeting users seeking anonymous exchange services. The site presents itself as a legitimate platform for covert crypto transactions, likely aiming to harvest login credentials, wallet addresses, or other sensitive financial information from unsuspecting visitors. Given the rising prevalence of crypto-related fraud, this domain poses a significant risk to individuals involved in digital asset trading or those exploring privacy-focused financial tools. Analysis indicates this domain was registered on April 28, 2026, through NICENIC INTERNATIONAL GROUP CO., LIMITED. It is currently flagged by 5 out of 95 security vendors on VirusTotal, a relatively low detection rate that may reflect evasion techniques or recent deployment. The domain resolves to the IP address 188.114.96.3 and employs Cloudflare infrastructure, including HTTP/3 and Cloudflare Browser Insights, which can obscure malicious activity and complicate attribution. The SSL certificate is issued by Let’s Encrypt, a common choice for both legitimate and malicious sites. Additionally, the domain appears on one security blocklist and is blocked by PhishDestroy, further corroborating its malicious intent. Users who have visited covert.exchange or interacted with its content should take immediate action to mitigate potential risks. First, cease all interaction with the domain and avoid entering any credentials or personal information. If login details were submitted, change passwords for all associated accounts, particularly those linked to cryptocurrency wallets or exchanges, and enable multi-factor authentication where available. Monitor financial accounts and wallet transactions for unauthorized activity, as stolen credentials may be exploited for theft or fraud. Consider scanning the device used to access the site for malware, as phishing pages may deploy additional payloads. Report the domain to relevant security teams or platforms to aid in broader threat mitigation efforts. ## EVIDENCE HASHES ---------------------------------------------------------------- Favicon MD5: 7aa60684b1b9c0aed3ec4b3ae8ddd8e1 ## SCORING METHODOLOGY ---------------------------------------------------------------- Composite score is NOT derived from VirusTotal alone. PhishDestroy aggregates: - VirusTotal positive ratio - Public blocklist consensus (MetaMask, ScamSniffer, OpenPhish, PhishTank, URLhaus, CryptoFirewall, SEAL, Polkadot, Enkrypt, Phishunt, DiscordPhishing, PhishingDB) - Cloaking detection (HTTP 666 or rendering delta between bot and real visitor) - DNS-filter consensus (Quad9, CleanBrowsing, NextDNS, AdGuard, Cloudflare, etc.) - AlienVault OTX pulses + Cloudflare Radar + Google Safe Browsing - URLScan / URLQuery verdicts - Brand-impersonation heuristics (DOM analysis of forms, logos, wording) - Known phishing-kit fingerprinting (favicon hash, JS obfuscation signatures) - Wallet-drainer family classification (Angel, MS, Rainbow, Pink, Inferno, ...) - Free-TLS vs paid-cert ratio (throwaway infrastructure signal) - Registrar/hosting abuse history (this registrar's track record) - Human researcher sign-off (volunteer takedown team) A domain present in our database is ALREADY flagged. A low VT count by itself does NOT mean the domain is safe — new scam domains routinely show 0/95 VT for their first 7–30 days while actively draining wallets. Always cross-reference the composite score and the individual indicators above, not just VT. ## CORRECTIONS / APPEALS ---------------------------------------------------------------- Full HTML report: https://phishdestroy.io/domain/covert.exchange/ JSON API: https://api.destroy.tools/v1/check?domain=covert.exchange Appeal a flag: https://phishdestroy.io/appeals/ (responded to within 48 hours, FP rate <0.01%) Submit a report: https://t.me/PhishDestroy_bot About PhishDestroy: volunteer-driven open-source threat-intelligence platform. Tracked: 172,677 domains (13,179 alive under monitoring, 158,908 confirmed takedowns/dead). Site: https://phishdestroy.io