Security & Threat Intelligence · 25.07.2026, 15:29 UTC
When checking the URL isn’t enough: a Device Code Phishing attack via a Microsoft website
| Schweregrad | info |
|---|---|
| Kategorie | Security & Threat Intelligence |
| Quelle | Securelist (Kaspersky) ↗ |
| Veröffentlicht | 25.07.2026 UTC |
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One of the most common pieces of anti-phishing advice is to double-check the website’s domain name before providing your credentials. Typically, a fraudulent domain stands out to the trained eye, differing from the official URL by at least a few characters. Recently, however, we encountered a campaign where attackers instruct victims to input data directly into a legitimate, trusted corporate site: the Microsoft Identity Platform, which supports an OAuth 2.0 specification known as the Device Authorization Grant. This specific protocol extension was designed to simplify the login experience for smart TVs, IoT hardware, printers, and other input-constrained devices that lack a full browser or keyboard. It allows users to use a nearby smartphone or PC for authorizing these devices to access their accounts. To complete the process, the user enters a one-time code on a designated authentication page. The Microsoft Identity Platform returns this code along with a link to enter it in response to a request to https://login.microsoftonline.com/{tenant}/oauth2/v2.0/devicecode; hence, an attack scenario exploiting this mechanism is called Device Code Phishing. In this post, we break down how the Device Authorization Grant specification (also known as the Device Authorization Grant Flow or Device Code Flow) works, analyze real-world attacks leveraging this technology, and outline effective strategies to defend against Device Code Phishing. Core steps of Device Authorization Grant 1. Requesting the authorization code
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