Summary:
A significant phishing campaign has leveraged Microsoft Sway, a cloud-based platform for creating online presentations, to host malicious landing pages designed to steal Microsoft 365 credentials. This campaign, detected by Netskope Threat Labs in July 2024, saw an alarming 2,000-fold increase in attacks using Microsoft Sway compared to earlier in the year. The scale of this operation marks a stark contrast to the minimal activity observed in the first half of 2024, highlighting the vast reach and intensity of the campaign.

The attackers primarily targeted users in Asia and North America, with the technology, manufacturing, and finance sectors being the most affected. The phishing emails sent to victims contained links that redirected them to fake landing pages hosted on the sway[.]cloud[.]microsoft domain. These pages prompted users to scan QR codes, which would then direct them to further malicious sites. The use of QR codes is particularly effective because scanning them with mobile devices, which often have weaker security protocols than desktops and laptops, increases the likelihood of bypassing security controls and reaching the phishing sites undetected.

One of the tactics the attackers employed was embedding the phishing URLs within images, making it difficult for email scanners that only analyze text-based content to detect the threat. Moreover, victims often scanned the QR codes with their mobile phones, devices that typically have less stringent security measures compared to computers, making them more vulnerable to such attacks. The attackers further enhanced the effectiveness of their campaign through a method known as transparent phishing. This approach involved stealing both the victim's credentials and multi-factor authentication codes and then using them to log the victim into their Microsoft account, all while displaying the legitimate login page. This technique not only facilitated the theft of sensitive information but also made the attack appear more credible to the victims.

To avoid detection and maintain the phishing domain's reputation, the attackers utilized Cloudflare Turnstile, a tool intended to protect websites from bots. This allowed them to conceal the phishing content from static scanners and evade blocking by web filtering services like Google Safe Browsing.

Security Officer Comments:
This exploitation of Microsoft Sway is reminiscent of the PerSwaysion phishing campaign from five years ago, which also targeted Office 365 credentials using a similar approach. The PerSwaysion campaign, uncovered by Group-IB, targeted high-ranking individuals at small and medium financial services companies, law firms, and real estate groups, successfully compromising the accounts of executives, presidents, and managing directors in several countries, including the U.S., Canada, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Suggested Corrections:
Users should always be cautious of individuals or organizations that ask for personal information. Most companies will not ask for sensitive data from its customers. If in doubt, users should verify with the company itself to avoid any potential issues.

Users should always take a close look at the sender’s display name when checking the legitimacy of an email. Most companies use a single domain for their URLs and emails, so a message that originates from a different domain is a red flag.

As a general rule, users should not click links or download files even if they come from seemingly “trustworthy” sources.

Check for mismatched URLs. While an embedded URL might seem perfectly valid, hovering above it might show a different web address. In fact, users should avoid clicking links in emails unless they are certain that it is a legitimate link.

Users should always be on the lookout for any grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Legitimate companies will often employ proofreaders and editors who ensure that the materials they send out are error-free.

Users should not be frightened or intimidated by messages that have an alarmist tone. They should double check with the company if they are uncertain about the status of their accounts.

Phishing emails are designed to be sent to a large number of people, so they need to be as impersonal as possible. Users should check whether the message contains a generic subject and greeting, as this can be a sign of a phishing attempt.

Although not every end user has access to advanced anti-phishing software, they can still use the built-in protection of their email clients to filter messages. One example is setting the email client to block all images unless approved.

Legitimate companies will never send confirmation emails unless there are specific reasons for doing so. In fact, most companies will avoid sending unsolicited messages unless it’s for company updates, newsletters, or advertising purposes.

Users should always take the context of an email or message into account. For example, most online accounts do away with viewable member numbers, so users should be wary if they receive emails containing a “member number” for services that generally don’t use them.

It is important to take note of unusual information in the text of the message. Any mentions of operating systems and software that are not typically used by consumers can often be indicators of a phishing attempt.

If it seems suspicious, it probably is. Users should always err on the side of caution when it comes to sending out personally identifiable information through messages and emails.

Link(s):
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...-abused-in-massive-qr-code-phishing-campaign/