According to Proofpoint researchers, an increase in successful compromises of Microsoft 365 cloud accounts protected by multifactor authentication may be traced back to threat actors using the EvilProxy phishing kit.
The action, which has been ongoing since early March, is a hybrid effort aimed at Microsoft 365 user accounts, with a particular emphasis on C-level and senior executives at major organizations. Also, lower-priority accounts with access to important business or financial data are contacted by the attackers. 39% of the victims are C-level executives, of which 17% are chief financial officers and 9% presidents and CEOs.
The attack method involves brand impersonation through fake sender addresses, evasion of cybersecurity scanning bots to hinder content analysis, and the use of a multi-step infection chain that includes redirects through legitimate sources and malicious cookies to complicate detection.
Phishing messages imitate reputable services, luring users into following links that take them to bogus Microsoft 365 sites. Users are sent to the EvilProxy phishing framework as a result of this. The landing page resembles the actual service and deals with third-party identity suppliers. For victim authentication, attackers may request MFA codes. To escape detection in subsequent stages, attackers employ redirect URLs on sites such as YouTube. They obtain access and set up shop on the organization’s cloud, utilizing Microsoft 365 capabilities for control.
The sources for this piece include an article in ITWorldCanada.