Cybersecurity nonprofit Security Alliance (SEAL) has introduced a new tool designed to help experts verify crypto phishing attacks a threat responsible for over $400 million in losses during the first half of 2025.
Announced on Monday, SEAL said its system, named “TLS Attestations and Verifiable Phishing Reports,” will enable advanced users and researchers to confirm whether a reported phishing website is genuinely malicious.
The organization explained that traditional scanners often fail to detect such sites because scammers use “cloaking features”, a tactic that hides harmful content and instead displays safe versions to automated systems. SEAL’s new system aims to bridge that gap, allowing investigators to securely verify that a phishing site contains the same deceptive content seen by victims.
How SEAL’s Verification System Works
The system operates by using a trusted attestation server that serves as a cryptographic oracle during the TLS (Transport Layer Security) connection, the standard protocol that secures data exchanges on the internet through encryption to prevent tampering or eavesdropping.
In practice, a user or security researcher sets up a local HTTP proxy to intercept network connections. This proxy captures the technical details of each session and forwards them to the attestation server. While the server manages the encryption and decryption processes, the researcher maintains full control of the actual network connection, ensuring both data integrity and secure verification of potentially malicious websites.
Verifiable Phishing Reports for Safer Investigations
The system allows users to create “Verifiable Phishing Reports”, cryptographically signed proofs that capture the exact content a website displayed to them.
“This tool is intended strictly for advanced users and security researchers,”
SEAL
With these reports, SEAL can confirm whether a website was genuinely malicious without directly visiting the phishing site, significantly reducing the risk for investigators and limiting attackers’ ability to conceal harmful material.
