Sophisticated Scam Alert: Hackers Exploit WhatsApp, Signal, and Microsoft 365 in Coordinated Phishing Campaigns

Cybersecurity experts warn of a surge in sophisticated phishing campaigns where Russian-aligned threat actors exploit messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Signal to impersonate officials and trick targets into compromising their Microsoft 365 accounts. Attackers initiate contact through encrypted channels, inviting victims to join fabricated video calls or meetings related to Ukraine support efforts. The scam progresses with attackers sharing malicious links disguised as legitimate Microsoft 365 login portals, which redirect victims to spoofed pages designed to steal OAuth authorization tokens. Once obtained, these tokens grant hackers access to sensitive data within Microsoft accounts, including emails and documents. Recent campaigns also leverage QR codes and fake WhatsApp group invites to hijack accounts, highlighting an evolving tactic to bypass security measures. Security firms emphasize the importance of scrutinizing unsolicited meeting links, enabling multi-factor authentication, and verifying requests through official channels to mitigate risks. This escalation underscores the growing intersection of social engineering and cloud-based exploitation in cyber-espionage operations. (Note: The Mashable article referenced in the query is not directly available in the provided search results, but this summary synthesizes the most relevant, up-to-date details from similar reported campaigns.)