Suspected Russian Hackers Abuse Google OAuth and WhatsApp Linking to Hijack Accounts
Google tracked three suspected Russian espionage clusters abusing OAuth flows, app passwords, and WhatsApp linking to hijack accounts of diplomats and defense targets.
Google Threat Intelligence Group detailed three suspected Russian espionage clusters, UNC6293, UNC7005 (Storm-2945), and UNC5976, targeting academia, aerospace, defense, governments, and think tanks in Europe, the US, Ukraine, and Armenia. UNC6293, assessed as a sub-cluster of APT29/Ice Relic, conducted OAuth and application-specific password phishing while impersonating State Department officials. UNC5976 registered file-sharing-themed domains hosting fake OAuth login pages and deployed a malicious Excel plugin codenamed HEADRUSH, while UNC7005 abused WhatsApp device linking to hijack accounts and record victims' audio and video.
Fake Conferences, OAuth and WhatsApp: Inside Russia’s New Espionage Tactics
Google tracks three Russia-linked espionage clusters abusing OAuth, app passwords, and device code phishing against Western researchers and diplomats.
Google's Threat Intelligence Group documented three suspected Russia-linked clusters, UNC6293, UNC7005, and UNC5976, abusing legitimate authentication flows. UNC6293, a likely APT29/ICE RELIC sub-cluster, impersonates US State Department officials in app password and OAuth phishing targeting fewer than five victims at a time. UNC7005, tracked by Microsoft as STORM-2945, spoofs the GLOBSEC conference, runs device code phishing against Microsoft and WhatsApp accounts, and deploys VIDAR and AtomicStealer infostealers. Targets include researchers, academics, diplomats, think-tank analysts, and defense personnel in Europe and the United States.
Attackers are going after prominent individuals through OAuth phishing, FBI warns
FBI IC3 warns of ongoing OAuth consent phishing since late 2025 targeting prominent individuals to gain persistent, password-free account access.
Attackers register malicious applications with legitimate OAuth providers, impersonate journalists, academics, event organizers, or government officials on messaging apps and email, and lure targets into approving permission requests on real Microsoft or Google login pages. Once approved, the attacker's application can read and send emails and access sensitive files within granted permissions, bypassing both passwords and MFA. The FBI notes password changes do not revoke this access; victims must invalidate the OAuth token in application security settings, and no attribution or victim list has been disclosed.
ThreatsDay: CEO Phishing Kits, 5K Dropbox Account Hacks, OAuth Traps + 17 More Stories
Microsoft warns of Teams IT-impersonation intrusions deploying Node.js implants; Spring Ring vishing hit 150+ employees across 10 companies; The Gentlemen ransomware claims 683 victims.
Microsoft warned of a human-operated campaign abusing Teams external collaboration to impersonate IT help desk staff, deploy malicious MSI packages staging Node.js runtimes and obfuscated JavaScript implants, then pivot to domain controllers over WinRM. Unit 42 documented the Spring Ring vishing operation targeting over 150 employees across at least 10 companies using 26 attacker identities, including an NTLM relay variant against domain controllers. Sophos reported The Gentlemen ransomware (Gold Sherwood) reached 683 total victims by end of July 2026, adding 169 in July, with a playbook using BYOVD-based EDR killers and backup tampering. Group-IB found the Outsider phishing-as-a-service platform created 700+ new phishing pages within a month despite law enforcement takedowns.
Week in review: Rail transport cybersecurity, “verified” OAuth apps used to infiltrate organizations
FBI raises alarm over deceptive phishing campaign targeting prominent people
The FBI warns of an ongoing OAuth consent phishing campaign granting attackers persistent access to high-profile victims' cloud accounts without passwords.
The FBI says attackers impersonate government officials, journalists and event coordinators on commercial messaging apps to trick prominent individuals, their families and acquaintances into authorizing malicious OAuth applications on Microsoft or Google cloud services. Once approved, attackers gain persistent access to emails, files and other sensitive data; the access survives password changes and bypasses MFA, and can only be revoked by invalidating the OAuth token in security settings. The campaign has been tracked since late 2025, and the FBI advises independently verifying senders and granting access only to trusted applications.
iAuthFlow v2: The $10,000 Phishing Toolkit That Survives Your Password Reset
Abnormal Security details iAuthFlow v2, a $10,000 phishing kit that enrolls attacker-controlled passkeys on Google accounts, persisting through password resets.
Abnormal Security analyzed iAuthFlow v2, a phishing toolkit sold on a Russian-language cybercrime forum for a $10,000 base price with additional capability modules sold separately. Using a browser-in-the-middle relay behind a trycloudflare.com subdomain with valid TLS, it captures Google logins and uses the authenticated session to enroll an attacker-controlled passkey within six seconds of login. Because the passkey persists after password changes and session revocation, operators regain mailbox access even after victims reset credentials. The build examined targets Google, while the seller advertises versions for Microsoft, iCloud, and LinkedIn.
Going with the Flow(s): Distinct Clusters Target Individuals of Interest to Russia
Suspected Russian clusters abuse OAuth and authentication flows to phish academia, defense, government, and think tank targets across Europe and the US.
Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) is tracking three distinct suspected Russian cyber espionage clusters abusing legitimate authentication flows. Newly detailed clusters UNC7005 and UNC5976 conduct phishing, abuse OAuth flows, and/or deploy malware, alongside previously reported UNC6293 phishing operations. Targets include individuals in academia, aerospace and defense, governments, and think tanks across Europe, as well as academia and think tanks in the United States.