German authorities, with international support, have dismantled the infrastructure of the Kratos phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) kit, which enabled low-skill threat actors to deploy convincing Microsoft-themed phishing pages. These pages harvested credentials and session cookies to bypass multi-factor authentication, primarily targeting entities in the US and Europe across manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and education. The operation neutralized over 200 servers, arrested the alleged developer, and disrupted an estimated 1,800 criminal enterprises responsible for approximately 15,000 phishing campaigns monthly.
Phishing German authorities dismantle Kratos phishing-as-a-service infrastructure July 21, 2026 Share By SC Staff According to The Register, German authorities, with support from the US and Indonesia, have successfully dismantled the primary infrastructure behind the Kratos phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) kit, a tool described as one of the most dangerous and widespread on the market. The Kratos kit enabled cybercriminals with limited technical skills to harvest credentials, including passwords and session cookies, by providing convincing Microsoft-themed phishing pages. This allowed them to bypass multi-factor authentication. Authorities arrested the alleged developer and technical administrator in Indonesia. The operation neutralized over 200 servers, impacting an estimated 1,800 criminal enterprises that used Kratos for approximately 15,000 phishing campaigns monthly. These campaigns targeted hundreds of thousands of victims in over 30 countries, with the operation earning more than €300,000 since 2024. Targets primarily included entities in the US and Europe, with key industries such as manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and educational institutions being affected. This takedown is seen as a significant step in combating sophisticated phishing infrastructures. Source: The Register SC Staff Related Phishing FBI warns of scammers impersonating agency online SC Staff July 21, 2026 Scammers are creating fake social media profiles and pages that mimic FBI personnel or IC3. Phishing Celine Dion concert comeback sparks ticket scam warning SC Staff July 16, 2026 Security researchers at Group-IB have identified multiple scam campaigns targeting fans eager to purchase tickets for Celine Dion's return to the stage. Phishing Phishing campaign uses e-cards to trick users into installing remote management software SC Staff July 16, 2026 The campaign, active since at least January 2026, employs rotating lures tied to the calendar, such as tax themes in winter and Valentine's or Easter invitations later on, according to Forescout. Get daily email updates SC Media's daily must-read of the most current and pressing daily news Business Email By clicking the Subscribe button below, you agree to SC Media Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . Subscribe You can skip this ad in 5 seconds