Russian Star Blizzard Shifts Tactics to Exploit WhatsApp QR Codes for Credential Harvesting

Russian Star Blizzard Shifts Tactics to Exploit WhatsApp QR Codes for Credential Harvesting
Summary: The Russian threat actor Star Blizzard has initiated a new spear-phishing campaign targeting WhatsApp accounts, marking a shift in its tactics to evade detection. This campaign primarily targets individuals in government, diplomacy, and defense sectors, particularly those involved in issues related to Ukraine and Russia. The approach involves deceptive emails that prompt victims to join a fake WhatsApp group, ultimately leading to unauthorized access to their accounts.

Threat Actor: Star Blizzard | Star Blizzard
Victim: Government officials, researchers | government officials, researchers

Keypoints :

  • Star Blizzard has shifted its focus from traditional email phishing to targeting WhatsApp accounts.
  • The campaign involves spear-phishing emails claiming to be from U.S. officials, containing broken QR codes to lure victims.
  • Victims who engage with the emails may inadvertently grant the threat actor access to their WhatsApp messages and data.

Source: https://thehackernews.com/2025/01/russian-star-blizzard-shifts-tactics-to.html