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Microsoft says a Russia-linked threat group resumed a campaign targeting travelers through manipulated captive-portal Wi-Fi networks on September 29, 2026. The activity can redirect web traffic, steal credentials, or trick users into installing malware. Microsoft has not named affected hotel brands, so the report does not establish that any particular chain—or every hotel guest network—was compromised.
What Microsoft found in the hotel and guest Wi-Fi campaign
Microsoft Threat Intelligence calls the operation CaptiveCrunch and attributes it to Storm-2945, which Microsoft assesses to be an operational sub-cluster of Midnight Blizzard. Microsoft describes Midnight Blizzard as Russia-based and says the US and UK governments attribute the group to Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). This is Microsoft’s assessment of the activity; the report does not establish the identities of individual operators. Microsoft’s campaign report was published July 31, 2026, and updated October 5.
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Microsoft first reported the campaign in July 2026, after observing targeted traffic-manipulation activity on captive-portal networks worldwide since early May. Its October 5 update says it saw Storm-2945 resume the operation on September 29. The report describes hospitality-related Wi-Fi and other guest networks, but does not identify hotel chains, publish a verified list of affected brands, or give a count of compromised venues.
How the attack works
A captive portal is the sign-in or acceptance page that appears when a user joins a guest network. Microsoft observed Storm-2945 manipulating DNS and HTTP traffic on networks served by such portals, redirecting users through attacker-controlled infrastructure. A familiar-looking sign-in page or successful connection does not, by itself, establish that the network is safe.
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Microsoft has also observed adversary-in-the-middle phishing, including lookalike sites impersonating Microsoft services and abuse of device-code authentication. The initial method used to compromise the captive-portal networks remains under investigation. Microsoft notes similarities in equipment and management systems that may indicate shared services in parts of the captive-portal ecosystem, but does not identify a confirmed entry point.
Prompts that can lead to malware
Some malicious prompts imitate routine connectivity checks or browser and operating-system updates. Microsoft says attackers have used fake update experiences and ClickFix-style instructions—directions that persuade a person to run commands or files—to get victims to download and execute malware. It reports Windows malware with capabilities including system discovery, file and keystroke collection, credential and session-token theft, surveillance, removable-media monitoring, and remote-shell access.
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Microsoft names CornFlake as one Windows remote-access and information-stealing implant used by Storm-2945; it describes multiple malware variants and techniques, not a campaign consisting only of CornFlake. The report also says Microsoft has indications of possible Android targeting through instructions to install APK files. An APK is an Android application package; do not install one because a Wi-Fi page or unexpected prompt tells you to.
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It can be usable, but you should treat hotel, conference, airport, and other guest Wi-Fi as untrusted. Microsoft’s practical warning is: “When traveling, users should treat hotel, conference, airport, and other guest wireless networks as untrustworthy.” A password-protected or official-looking network can still carry risk, and this campaign shows why a portal that appears routine is not proof that its traffic is trustworthy.
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The FBI’s separate 2020 hotel-Wi-Fi guidance advises travelers to confirm the hotel’s official network name, avoid similarly named alternatives, turn off auto-reconnect, keep devices patched, and use multifactor authentication for sensitive accounts. That guidance is general advice, not an analysis of CaptiveCrunch. Read the FBI IC3 advisory.
What to do before connecting
- Prefer a private connection when practical. Use cellular data through your phone, a mobile hotspot, or an eSIM rather than relying on venue Wi-Fi. Check your data plan and local coverage before depending on it.
- Verify the network name. Ask hotel staff for the exact official Wi-Fi name instead of choosing a similar name from the network list.
- Disable auto-reconnect for guest networks. This helps prevent a device from silently rejoining a remembered network later.
- Keep software current through trusted update mechanisms. Use the device’s built-in operating-system or app-store update process, not a download link offered by a portal or an unexpected browser prompt.
- Use a reputable VPN for work when appropriate. The FBI says a VPN can make eavesdropping harder by encrypting traffic. It does not make a compromised device safe or guarantee protection against phishing, malicious downloads, or every form of portal manipulation.
- For work travel, follow your organization’s setup. Microsoft recommends considering an enterprise-managed hotspot or travel router configured to establish an encrypted tunnel to trusted corporate infrastructure. A consumer travel router does not automatically provide that protection.
What to do if a Wi-Fi page asks you to install something
Stop. Do not download or run software, install a certificate or APK, paste a command into a terminal, or follow troubleshooting instructions from a captive portal or unexpected web page. Close the page and use cellular connectivity or ask the venue to confirm the network and its normal sign-in process. If a genuine system update is due, start it yourself from the device’s trusted settings or official app store.
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Do not enter corporate credentials into a guest-network page. If you have already entered a password on a page you now suspect was fake, use a trusted connection to change it and notify your organization’s IT or security team if it was a work account. If you ran a file or command, disconnect from the network and contact IT or a qualified support professional; changing a password alone may not remove malware or revoke stolen sessions.
Choosing an alternative connection
Hotspots and eSIM-based cellular data reduce reliance on venue Wi-Fi, but availability, coverage, and data costs vary by destination and plan. For business use, an organization-managed device or travel router may add an encrypted tunnel to a trusted network when it is configured to do so. None of these connection choices is a substitute for keeping devices patched, avoiding suspicious prompts, and protecting accounts with passkeys or multifactor authentication. Microsoft also recommends restricting device-code authentication to cases where it is necessary and applying appropriate identity and access controls.
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