Russian Hackers Infiltrate Hotel WiFi Networks with AI-Assisted Malware

Microsoft has issued a warning to Windows PC users about Russian hackers infiltrating their devices on hotel WiFi networks. The company attributed the campaign, called CaptiveCrunch, to Storm-2945, a sub-cluster of Russia's Midnight Blizzard.

CaptiveCrunch targets corporate travelers with credential theft and malware delivered through compromised guest networks. The hackers use AI to support the campaign, which has been impacting hospitality networks and other guest networks served by captive portals worldwide since May.

The tech company advises travelers not to trust hotel, conference, airport, and other guest networks, instead recommending the use of mobile hotspots, cellular connections, or other private connectivity. Microsoft also warns against using updates through captive portals, as hackers can disguise malware as Windows updates.