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RaccoonO365 Phishing Network Disrupted by Microsoft and Cloudflare

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The RaccoonO365 phishing network, a financially motivated threat group, was disrupted by Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) and Cloudflare. The operation, executed through a court order in the Southern District of New York, seized 338 domains used by the group since July 2024. The network targeted over 2,300 organizations in 94 countries, including at least 20 U.S. healthcare entities, and stole over 5,000 Microsoft 365 credentials. Authorities in Nigeria have arrested three individuals linked to the RaccoonO365 phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) scheme, including Okitipi Samuel, also known as Moses Felix, identified as the principal suspect and developer of the phishing infrastructure. The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC) collaborated with Microsoft and the FBI in the investigation, seizing laptops, mobile devices, and other digital equipment linked to the operation. The stolen data was used to fuel more cybercrimes, including business email compromise, financial fraud, and ransomware attacks. The Nigerian police arrested three individuals linked to targeted Microsoft 365 cyberattacks via Raccoon0365 phishing platform. The attacks led to business email compromise, data breaches, and financial losses affecting organizations worldwide. The law enforcement operation was possible thanks to intelligence from Microsoft, shared with the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC) via the FBI. The authorities identified individuals who administered the phishing toolkit 'Raccoon0365,' which automated the creation of fake Microsoft login pages for credential theft. The service, which was responsible for at least 5,000 Microsoft 365 account compromises across 94 countries, was disrupted by Microsoft and Cloudflare last September. It is unclear if the disruption operation helped identify those behind Raccoon0365 in Nigeria. One of the arrested suspects is an individual named Okitipi Samuel, also known online as 'RaccoonO365' and 'Moses Felix,' whom the police believe is the developer of the phishing platform. Samuel operated a Telegram channel where he sold phishing kits to other cybercriminals in exchange for cryptocurrency, while he also hosted the phishing pages on Cloudflare using accounts registered with compromised credentials. The Telegram channel counted over 800 members around the time of the disruption, and the reported access fees ranged from $355/month to $999/3 months. Cloudflare estimates that the service is used primarily by Russia-based cybercriminals. Regarding the other two arrested individuals, the police stated they have no evidence linking them to the Raccoon0365 operation or creation. The person that Microsoft previously identified as the leader of the phishing service, Joshua Ogundipe, is not mentioned in the police’s announcement.

Timeline

  1. 17.09.2025 07:31 5 articles · 3mo ago

    RaccoonO365 Phishing Network Disrupted by Microsoft and Cloudflare

    RaccoonO365 phishing kits were advertised with an annual subscription fee of $600, as well as discounted options for 30- and 60-day licenses. RaccoonO365 advertised a new AI-powered service titled 'RaccoonO365 AI-MailCheck'. RaccoonO365 phishing emails impersonated trusted brands or organizations within the targeted company, using familiar workplace themes to exploit trust and create urgency. RaccoonO365 phishing emails incorporated the recipient's name into links or attachments to enhance credibility. RaccoonO365 used file names designed to mimic routine communications, such as finance or HR documents, policy agreements, contracts, and invoices. Cloudflare executed a three-day 'rugpull' against RaccoonO365, banning all identified domains, placing interstitial 'phish warning' pages, terminating associated Workers scripts, and suspending user accounts to prevent re-registration. Authorities in Nigeria have arrested three individuals linked to the RaccoonO365 phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) scheme, including Okitipi Samuel, identified as the principal suspect and developer of the phishing infrastructure. The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC) collaborated with Microsoft and the FBI in the investigation, seizing digital equipment linked to the operation. The stolen data was used to fuel further cybercrimes, including business email compromise, financial fraud, and ransomware attacks. The Nigerian police arrested three individuals linked to targeted Microsoft 365 cyberattacks via Raccoon0365 phishing platform. The attacks led to business email compromise, data breaches, and financial losses affecting organizations worldwide. The law enforcement operation was possible thanks to intelligence from Microsoft, shared with the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF–NCCC) via the FBI. The authorities identified individuals who administered the phishing toolkit 'Raccoon0365,' which automated the creation of fake Microsoft login pages for credential theft. The service, which was responsible for at least 5,000 Microsoft 365 account compromises across 94 countries, was disrupted by Microsoft and Cloudflare last September. It is unclear if the disruption operation helped identify those behind Raccoon0365 in Nigeria. One of the arrested suspects is an individual named Okitipi Samuel, also known online as 'RaccoonO365' and 'Moses Felix,' whom the police believe is the developer of the phishing platform. Samuel operated a Telegram channel where he sold phishing kits to other cybercriminals in exchange for cryptocurrency, while he also hosted the phishing pages on Cloudflare using accounts registered with compromised credentials. The Telegram channel counted over 800 members around the time of the disruption, and the reported access fees ranged from $355/month to $999/3 months. Cloudflare estimates that the service is used primarily by Russia-based cybercriminals. Regarding the other two arrested individuals, the police stated they have no evidence linking them to the Raccoon0365 operation or creation. The person that Microsoft previously identified as the leader of the phishing service, Joshua Ogundipe, is not mentioned in the police’s announcement.

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