September 1, 2021

Microsoft recently warned Office 365 customers not to rely on hovering over links to know whether they are being taken to a dangerous site.

Instead, Microsoft says, users should look into the address bar, advise that comes during a period of increased phishing attacks aimed at stealing usernames and passwords.

The latest attacks have relied on taking advantage of advice given to users to move over a link in an email to check the destination before clicking on it. Attackers instead direct visitors to a trusted destination on a malicious site.

Microsoft clarified: “Once recipients hover their cursor over the link or button in the email, they are shown the full URL. However, since the actors set up open redirect links using a legitimate service, users see a legitimate domain name that is likely associated with a company they know and trust. We believe that attackers abuse this open and reputable platform to attempt evading detection while redirecting potential victims to phishing sites. Users trained to hover on links and inspect for malicious artifacts in emails may still see a domain they trust and thus click it.”

For more information, read the original story in ZDNet.