Introduction
With the help of the Digital Crimes Unit; the software giant has taken down 240 websites of a phishing kits selling criminal group operating globally to undertake malicious attacks. This has dealt a major blow to widespread phishing as a service depoyed across the world.
More about Phishing
Phishing is yet another issue that an individual or organization has to deal with every day. Victims are lured to provide personal information by crafty means. This is a threat that has been made easier by PhaaS (Phishing as a Service) allowing criminals to easily get a ready-made kit printed for them even if it has sophisticated measures like MFA or 2FA.
An overview of the ONNX operation
An Egyptian based group ONNX is the focus of this study which in 2024 has become one of the top five email soliciting phishing kit operators. This operation made a distinctive mark due to the broad range of services offered on a subscription basis to the criminals including basic, professional, and enterprise services with the advertisements available on sites such as Telegram.
Comparison Table of ONNX Subscription Plans
| Plan Type | Features | Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Essential phishing templates | Low-cost option |
| Professional | Advanced features, customer support | Moderate pricing |
| Enterprise | Comprehensive access and dedicated support | Premium pricing |
Public Naming of Individuals
Microsoft took legal action against one of the most notorious figures behind ONNX by revealing his name – Abanoub Nady also known as ‘MRxC0DER’ online. Nady has been around the phishing kit scene since at least 2017 and is viewed as an important figure in the PaaS environment.
Tactics Used by ONNX
ONNX employed numerous strategies in carrying its robberies, one of which was called “quishing.” This technique is aimed at encouraging users to scan codes that lead to fake websites that solicit information from the victim including personal and banking details.
Approach by Microsoft
Steven Masada, Assistant General Counsel at Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit, talked about the need for ongoing efforts against the vice of cybercrime and noted that “No disruption is complete in one action.” The outlawing of ONNX’s fraudulent web pages will disrupt their activities, but it is believed that other criminals will quickly adjust, bettering their tactics to exploit any space created.
Nevertheless, the newest developments within Microsoft clearly prove that the company is doing all that it can to put an end to the threats of phishing and cyber crime, there is no doubt, the war is still far from over. This is due to the fact that the cyber criminals are ever changing and therefore pose a challenge which makes it important to remain on the offensive and defend against any likely threats in the future.
