Avast Reports Surge in Malicious Residential Proxy Traffic, Spain Among Top Affected Nations

Avast, a brand of Gen Digital, warns that residential internet connections are increasingly being used as proxies to route third-party traffic without the owners' knowledge. Between January and mid-September 2026, the company blocked 20.8 million attacks linked to residential proxy networks, with Spain ranking among the ten most affected countries. These proxies are often bundled with free VPNs or pirated software, and while some have legitimate uses, they are frequently exploited for phishing and malicious advertising.