Users report phishing emails coming from Microsoft’s system, and the company is digging in
Scammers are exploiting a legitimate Microsoft email address used for two-factor authentication to conduct phishing attacks on unsuspecting users. The email address in question, [email protected], is normally used by Microsoft to send authentication codes and other legitimate account security alerts.
According to reports from TechCrunch and PCWorld, the compromised email address has been weaponized to send phishing emails to users. What makes this attack particularly concerning is that the email address wasn’t spoofed or forged—evidence suggests the address itself was compromised, meaning emails are coming directly from Microsoft’s system.
This represents a significant security concern because users typically trust emails from Microsoft’s official addresses, especially those containing authentication codes. The use of a genuine, compromised email address makes it far more difficult for users to identify phishing attempts compared to spoofed emails, which often contain telltale signs of forgery.
The exact method scammers used to compromise the email address remains unclear, though Microsoft is actively investigating the incident. The company is working to determine how unauthorized parties gained access to this critical authentication system and what data may have been exposed.