UNK_AcademicFlare is a suspected Russia-aligned threat actor that conducts device code phishing campaigns by leveraging compromised email addresses from government and military organizations. The actor engages in rapport building through benign outreach, ultimately leading to a phishing attempt via a Cloudflare Worker URL that spoofs a OneDrive account. Targeted sectors include government, think tanks, higher education, and transportation in the U.S. and Europe, with a focus on Russia and Ukraine-themed content. Their tactics include using compromised accounts for initial contact and employing device code phishing techniques to extract credentials.
Who is UNK_AcademicFlare and what are its primary targets?+
UNK_AcademicFlare is a threat actor suspected of being aligned with Russia. It primarily targets government, think tanks, higher education, and transportation sectors in the U.S. and Europe.
What is the primary phishing technique used by this group?+
They build rapport through compromised government and military email accounts, then deliver device code phishing attacks via a Cloudflare Worker URL that spoofs a OneDrive login page.