Nigeria Arrests Developer of Microsoft 365 Raccoon0365 Phishing Platform

Phishing scams are everywhere. You think you’ve learned all the different types and how to spot them, then another, more sophisticated one comes along. For this reason, I was very interested when I heard about the arrest of the creator of a phishing platform called Raccoon0365, which targeted Microsoft 365 users in Nigeria.

What Turned Raccoon0365 So Dangerous?​

Raccoon0365 was not simply a traditional phishing site; instead, it was an all-encompassing phishing "machine". This allowed criminals to design and develop their own fake Microsoft 365 login pages quickly and easily. Using this platform, offenders were able to conduct the following activities:

• Steal Microsoft 365 email log-ins
• Bypass basic security barriers
• Enable novice criminals to perform phishing

The importance of Raccoon0365 was that the low ease of use would likely result in increased levels of abuse. This realism was one factor which helped provide a more prevalent presence of phishing emails.

International Cooperation to Catch a Professional Criminal in Nigeria​

The Nigerian government was not acting in isolation; they collaborated with Microsoft and international law enforcement agencies. It included law enforcement members from the United States and the United Kingdom, to identify and catch the individuals operating the Raccoon0365 platform.

Law enforcement officials arrested people in 10 different states throughout Nigeria.
They took possession of:

• Computers and cellular devices
• Information that could be used for Phishing purposes
• Monetary resources that can be linked to the perpetration of Internet fraud

Why This Arrest Is Important​

There is no question that phishing scams will not vanish magically overnight. However, taking out the operator of a phishing syndicate means that many thousands of individual crimeoperating scammers have been forced to stop. This will be a relief to organisations of all sizes, especially those that are small.