Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

WhatsApp attack: 'Tens of thousands' fall victim to Russian voice message ambush

WhatsApp attack: 'Tens of thousands' fall victim to Russian voice message ambush

A phishing attack designed to look like a WhatsApp voice message has already compromised tens of thousands of email accounts.

The tried-and-tested attack method appears to be a harmless email containing a link to a WhatsApp voice message.

But anyone clicking on the link is taken to a malicious website that attempts to install a virus on the victim’s device.

Cyber security researchers at California-based Armorblox report that nearly 28,000 mailboxes – across both Gmail and Microsoft’s Outlook program have been impacted by the ambush.

More worryingly, the company says the email attack comes from a valid Russian-based domain.

The experts say the ‘mailman.cbddmo.ru,’ domain is associated with an organisation known as the ‘Center for Traffic Safety of the Moscow Region’ – which is a part of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The phishing email contains the subject line ‘New Incoming Voicemessage’ and is supposedly from a WhatsApp Notifier function.

The fake WhatsApp email containing a dangerous link


The security researchers say that, although it looks authentic, it’s actually a trick.

‘Upon clicking the “Play” link in the email, recipients were redirected to a page that attempts to install a trojan horse JS/Kryptik,’ explained Lauryn Cash from Armorblox.

‘This is a malicious obfuscated JavaScript code embedded in HTML pages that redirects the browser to a malicious URL and implements a specific exploit.’

‘The Armorblox research team was able to observe this attack on multiple customer tenants across Office 365 and Google Workspace. The potential total attack exposure was close to 28K mailboxes.’

Targeting WhatsApp users and zeroing in on voice messages make sense given the staggering amount of users the service has.


What is phishing, and why is it called phishing?
A Royal Mail scam has been making the rounds.

Phishing is the term applied to kind of electronic communications scam that aims to obtain private information, or to spread harmful malware, via the recipient.

The phenomenon takes its name from fishing due to the parallels in unaware targets being reeled in by bait.

The term was coined around 1996, according to Computer World, as internet scammers began using e-mail lures, setting out hooks to fish for passwords and financial data from the sea of Internet users.

Hackers commonly replace the letter f with ph, a nod to the original form of hacking known as phone phreaking.


Every day on WhatsApp, over 7 billion voice notes are sent back and forth as voice messages provide a quick alternative to a phone call.


Voice messages are especially preferred by older family members who want to avoid typing or even communicating in another language.

Obviously, if you see this email (or one that looks like it) land in your inbox, don’t click the link.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×