Microsoft has warned about an organized cyber espionage campaign that the company says is linked to Russian intelligence services and is targeting guests at hotels, conference centres, and other public locations.
According to the warning, the main targets are government officials and employees of companies travelling for business purposes.
After connecting to a hotel’s Wi-Fi network, users may receive a fake notification asking them to update their browser or operating system.
Instead of installing a legitimate update, the device is infected with malware that can steal passwords, documents, and other sensitive information.
The malware can also record every keystroke and activate the device’s camera and microphone without the user’s knowledge, according to reports.
Microsoft estimates that these are not isolated incidents but part of a coordinated cyber espionage operation targeting selected individuals and organizations.
Experts are urging travellers not to install software updates through pop-up windows that appear after connecting to public Wi-Fi networks. Users should only download updates from official sources, as a free internet connection can quickly become a serious security threat to personal and corporate data.
