In a limited campaign observed in November 2024, the Russian-linked group Star Blizzard used a fake WhatsApp group invitation to trick targets into linking an attacker-controlled device to their accounts. Microsoft said the first QR code was deliberately broken; a second QR code, reached through a follow-up link, led to WhatsApp’s linked-device flow. The operation abused a legitimate account feature—it did not break WhatsApp or its end-to-end encryption.
How the WhatsApp phishing attempt worked
Microsoft Threat Intelligence reported on January 16, 2025, that it observed the activity in mid-November 2024. The lure combined an official-looking sender, a supposed Ukraine-support group, and two QR-code moments with different purposes.
- An invitation arrived by email. The message impersonated a US government official and offered a chance to join a WhatsApp group about “the latest non-governmental initiatives aimed at supporting Ukraine NGOs.”
- The first QR code failed on purpose. It did not lead to a valid domain. Microsoft said the broken code served as a pretext to prompt the recipient to reply.
- A follow-up email offered another route. After the recipient responded, the actor sent a Safe Links-wrapped shortened URL as an alternative way to join the group.
- The linked page showed the consequential QR code. It prompted the recipient to scan a code using WhatsApp’s linked-device or WhatsApp Web process. Following the instructions could connect an attacker’s device to the victim’s WhatsApp account.
- The attacker could then access account messages. Microsoft said messages could potentially be exfiltrated with browser plugins designed to export messages from WhatsApp Web.
The distinction between the two codes matters: the first was intentionally nonfunctional, while the second was part of the attempt to authorize another device.
What linking a device means—and what it does not
A linked-device prompt is an account-access action, not routine admission to a group. If a person scans a code and follows the linking steps, another device may connect to the account. Microsoft described the resulting access to WhatsApp messages as the campaign’s objective.
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This is not evidence that WhatsApp’s encryption was cracked or that the messaging service itself was breached. The tactic sought to have a user authorize access through a legitimate feature. In the related, broader guidance it issued in 2026, the FBI and CISA likewise said Russian phishing activity targeted individual messaging accounts, not the applications’ encryption or the applications themselves.
Who Star Blizzard targeted and when
Microsoft said the targets included people in government or diplomacy, including former officeholders; defense-policy and international-relations researchers whose work touched on Russia; and people or organizations providing assistance related to Ukraine. Impersonating a US government official fit the group’s broader practice of posing as political or diplomatic figures.
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Microsoft characterized this as a limited campaign that appeared to have wound down at the end of November 2024. It did not publish an incident-specific count of compromised WhatsApp accounts. The end-of-campaign assessment is not proof that no one was compromised or that Star Blizzard never reused the method. Microsoft said: “While this campaign appears to have wound down at the end of November, we are highlighting the new shift as a sign that the threat actor could be seeking to change its TTPs in order to evade detection.”
For wider context, Microsoft reported that it and the US Department of Justice had seized or taken down more than 180 websites related to Star Blizzard activity since October 3, 2024. That figure concerns websites, not victims or compromised WhatsApp accounts in this campaign.
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How to handle a suspicious WhatsApp group invitation
- Verify the invitation independently. Contact the purported sender using an email address or another channel you already know is theirs. Do not rely on the reply address or a link in the unexpected email.
- Do not scan a QR code to join a group if the page is asking to link a device. Treat that prompt as a request to grant account access.
- Review linked devices. In WhatsApp, check the linked-devices area and remove any session you do not recognize. Exact menu labels can vary by app version.
- Keep credentials private. Never give an unsolicited contact a verification code, PIN, or recovery key.
- Reach support through a trusted route. Open the official app or go to the service’s official website directly rather than using contact details in a suspicious message.
- Report suspicious activity. If the account is part of an organization, alert its security team. The FBI and CISA also advise filing a report with IC3 when appropriate.
What organizations can do
For this threat, Microsoft recommended organizational controls including mobile anti-phishing protection for Android and iOS, network protection, endpoint detection and response, Safe Links and Safe Attachments, SmartScreen-supported browsing, and QR-code phishing simulations. These are enterprise defenses to assess in the context of an organization’s existing security program, not a checklist every individual needs to purchase or enable.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the later FBI/CISA warning relates
A March 20, 2026 FBI/CISA advisory describes broader Russian Intelligence Services phishing against commercial messaging-app accounts. It discusses abuse of linked-device features through malicious links or QR codes, as well as attempts to take over accounts by eliciting PINs or two-factor authentication codes. That advisory supports the general advice to protect codes and scrutinize device-linking prompts, but it does not establish that Star Blizzard continued its specific 2024 WhatsApp-group campaign.
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