Warning: Microsoft Teams unleashes DarkGate malware through external access

Microsoft Teams, the popular collaboration platform, has been targeted by threat actors to spread DarkGate malware through phishing scams and malware attacks. Cybersecurity experts from AT&T Cybersecurity have reported incidents where external users initiated unsolicited Teams chats with internal members, which were later confirmed to be phishing lures. The attackers used DarkGate malware, a well-known threat, which first emerged in 2017 as a password stealer and cryptocurrency miner. In the latest attack, the Managed Detection and Response (MDR) team from AT&T detected suspicious activities within the Teams environment, allowing them to uncover compromised accounts and assets for remediation. AT&T Cybersecurity recommends disabling External Access in Microsoft Teams and reinforcing user training to recognize and report phishing attempts.