Threats Tagged 'credential harvesting'

An exposed attacker server has unveiled FortiBleed, a large-scale credential-compromise campaign targeting internet-facing Fortinet FortiGate firewalls and SSL VPN gateways globally. This operation involved credential harvesting through reuse, brute force, and hash cracking using a distributed GPU infrastructure with approximately 36 rented GPUs via Hashtopolis. The exposed directory contained 319 files revealing scanning tools, cracking infrastructure, credential databases, post-exploitation toolkits, and active VPN configurations. While initially reported as affecting 21,632 domains, analysis of the attacker's own tooling reveals only 918 organizations showed evidence of internal network compromise, with merely 148 confirmed cases where credentials were fully cracked. The operation ultimately aimed to sell initial access to compromised networks, with victims spanning 194 countries, predominantly India, United States, and Taiwan.

MediumCampaignUnited StatesBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryColombia+3#vpn compromise#hash cracking#fortibleed

A sophisticated, modular phishing infrastructure has been identified targeting at least 12 Mexican financial institutions over a three-year period. The operation leverages GitHub Pages for hosting and SheetBest API for credential exfiltration, eliminating the need for dedicated backend infrastructure. Attackers employ obfuscated JavaScript, randomized paths, and dynamic brand selection panels to impersonate legitimate banking portals. Over 100 associated domains were identified, each hosting multiple phishing pages across different paths. Credentials are collected through multi-stage forms mimicking authentic banking authentication flows and exfiltrated in real-time to attacker-controlled Google Sheets. An alternative exfiltration method via Telegram bot was also observed. The campaign demonstrates operational persistence with multiple operator accounts maintaining the infrastructure through continuous commits and updates.

MediumPhishingMexico#credential harvesting#sheetbest api#financial fraud

A sophisticated espionage campaign attributed to UNC6508, a China-nexus threat actor, targeted North American academic, medical, and military research institutions for over a year. The adversary exploited REDCap servers, deployed custom INFINITERED malware to harvest credentials, and maintained persistent access through trojanized legitimate files that survived software upgrades. After remaining undetected for more than a year, the threat actor pivoted to administrative accounts and created malicious content compliance rules to silently exfiltrate emails containing defense intelligence, Indo-Pacific command operations, artificial intelligence research, uncrewed vehicle systems, cyber programs, and medical research data. The operation employed sophisticated techniques including obfuscation networks routing through US-based infrastructure, compromised routers, and dedicated exfiltration accounts, demonstrating advanced operational security aligned with strategic intelligence collection requirements.

MediumMalwareUnited StatesCanada#medical research targeting#unc6508#infinitered

Multiple phishing campaigns are exploiting the FIFA World Cup 2026 event to target mobile users globally. These campaigns use typosquatting, institutional spoofing, and impersonation of major sports retailers to harvest credentials. A sophisticated recruitment fraud campaign also targets corporate Google Workspace accounts with an Adversary-in-the-Middle platform capable of bypassing MFA. Attack vectors include SMS, WhatsApp, and search engines, leveraging emotional urgency and ticket scarcity. This creates risks for enterprises as employees may access work resources via compromised personal devices.

The hospitality and travel sector experienced a dramatic surge in cyberattacks, with organizations facing an average of 2,291 weekly attacks in May 2026, representing a 24% year-over-year increase and a cumulative 122% rise since 2023. Cybercriminals registered 47,318 travel-related domains in May 2026 alone, with one in every 112 classified as malicious or suspicious. Three coordinated bulk-registration campaigns were identified, including sequential hotel-lure domains, American Express and Lloyds Travel Choice impersonations, and widespread Fora Travel brand abuse across 108 TLDs. Active phishing operations target major platforms including Booking.com, Airbnb, and Skyscanner through lookalike domains designed to harvest credentials and payment information. These attacks deliberately intensify during peak summer booking season when travelers are distracted and eager for deals, exploiting the industry's high volume of personal and financial data processing.

An advanced voicemail-themed phishing campaign is utilizing HTML attachments to hijack Microsoft 365 sessions through silent OAuth exploitation. Emails arrive spoofing legitimate businesses with fake voicemail notifications containing embedded HTML files. When victims click the play button, the kit triggers a rogue OAuth 2.0 request using the prompt=none parameter to steal authentication tokens from active M365 sessions. If no active session exists, victims are redirected to credential harvesters hosted on compromised infrastructure, specifically a Turkish domain hosting over 100 active campaign directories. The operation includes multiple attack vectors: fake login portals mimicking DocuSign, Outlook and Google, OAuth device code phishing interfaces, and RMM deployment disguised as document viewers. This represents a sophisticated Phishing-as-a-Service operation deploying concurrent attack types from consolidated infrastructure.

A coordinated smishing operation spanning 19 countries across Europe, the Americas, and the Caucasus has been exposed, originating from fraudulent SMS messages impersonating Romania's government payment portal Ghișeul.ro. Investigation revealed 1,628 malicious URLs linked by a single 128-character campaign identifier, targeting government portals, traffic police departments, postal services including DPD and SEUR, tax authorities, and telecommunications providers like T-Mobile and Vodafone. The infrastructure utilizes 32 backend IP addresses distributed across Tencent Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, Cloudflare CDN, and ALEXHOST Moldova. Threat actors employ two distinct phishing templates: a Vue.js single-page application and a Bootstrap-based clone, executing a four-stage credential harvesting process that collects complete payment card details through fabricated traffic fines, toll payments, and delivery notifications.

MediumCampaignUnited StatesAlbaniaArmenia+16#smishing#government impersonation#credential harvesting