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Microsoft Azure Monitor alerts abused in callback phishing campaigns

Recorded: March 21, 2026, 3 p.m.

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Microsoft Azure Monitor alerts abused for callback phishing attacks

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HomeNewsSecurityMicrosoft Azure Monitor alerts abused for callback phishing attacks

Microsoft Azure Monitor alerts abused for callback phishing attacks

By Lawrence Abrams

March 21, 2026
10:09 AM
0

Microsoft Azure Monitor alerts are being abused to send callback phishing emails that impersonate warnings from the Microsoft Security Team about unauthorized charges on your account.
Azure Monitor is Microsoft's cloud-based monitoring service that collects and analyzes data from Azure resources, applications, and infrastructure. It enables users to track performance, notify about billing changes, detect issues, and trigger alerts based on various conditions.
Over the past month, numerous people have reported receiving Azure Monitor alerts warning of suspicious charges or invoice activity on their accounts, urging them to call an enclosed phone number.
"Alert rule description MICROSOFT CORPORATION BILLING AND ACCOUNT SECURITY NOTICE (REF: MS-FRA-6673829-KP). Our system has detected a potentially unauthorized charge on your account. Transaction Details: Merchant: Windows Defender. Transaction ID: PP456-887A-22B. Amount: 389.90 USD. Date: 03/05/2026l," reads the fake billing alert.
"For your protection, this transaction has been temporarily placed on hold by our Fraud Detection Team. To prevent possible account suspension or additional fees, please verify this transaction immediately. If you did NOT authorize this payment, contact our 24/7 Microsoft Account Security Support at +1 (864) 347-2494 or +1 (864) 347-4846."
"We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your prompt response. Microsoft Account Security Team."

Microsoft Azure Monitor alert used in a callback phishing scamSource: BleepingComputer
Unlike other phishing campaigns, these messages are not spoofed, but are sent directly by the Microsoft Azure Monitor platform using the legitimate azure-noreply@microsoft.com email address.
As the emails are sent through Microsoft's legitimate email platforms, they pass SPF, DKIM, and DMARC email security checks, making them appear more trustworthy.

Authentication-Results: relay.mimecast.com;
dkim=pass header.d=microsoft.com header.s=s1024-meo header.b=CKfQ8iOB;
arc=pass ("microsoft.com:s=arcselector10001:i=1");
dmarc=pass (policy=reject) header.from=microsoft.com;
spf=pass (relay.mimecast.com: domain of azure-noreply@microsoft.com designates 40.107.200.103 as permitted sender) smtp.mailfrom=azure-noreply@microsoft.com

The threat actors are conducting this campaign by creating alerts in Azure Monitor for easily triggered conditions, such as new orders, payments, generated invoices, and other billing events. 
When creating alerts, you can enter any message you want in the description field, which the attackers use to put their callback phishing message.

Description field when creating an Azure Monitor alertSource: Microsoft
These alerts are then configured to send emails to what is believed to be a mailing list under the attacker's control, which forwards the email to all the targeted people in the attack.
This also preserves the original Microsoft headers and authentication results, helping the emails bypass spam filters and user suspicion.
BleepingComputer has seen multiple alert categories used in this campaign, mostly using invoice and payment-themed rules designed to resemble automated billing notifications:
Azure monitor alert rule order-22455340 was resolved for invoice22455340
Azure monitor alert rule Invoice Paid INV-d39f76ef94 was resolved for invd39f76ef94
Azure monitor alert rule Payment Reference INV-22073494 was resolved for purchase22073494
Azure monitor alert rule Funds Successfully Received-ec5c7acb41 was triggered for subec5c7acb41
Azure monitor alert rule MemorySpike-9242403-A4 was triggered
Azure monitor alert rule DiskFull-3426456-A6 was triggered for locker3426456
The campaign relies on creating a sense of urgency, which in this case is the unusual $389 Windows Defender charge, to trick the users into calling the listed phone number.
While BleepingComputer did not call the number in this scam, previous callback phishing campaigns led to credential theft, payment fraud, or the installation of remote access software.
As these emails use a more enterprise or corporate theme, they may be intended to gain initial access to corporate networks for follow-on attacks.
Users should treat any Azure or Microsoft alert that includes a phone number or urgent request to resolve billing issues with suspicion.

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Lawrence Abrams
Lawrence Abrams is the owner and Editor in Chief of BleepingComputer.com. Lawrence's area of expertise includes Windows, malware removal, and computer forensics. Lawrence Abrams is a co-author of the Winternals Defragmentation, Recovery, and Administration Field Guide and the technical editor for Rootkits for Dummies.

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Microsoft Azure Monitor alerts are being exploited in a sophisticated callback phishing campaign. According to a report by Lawrence Abrams for BleepingComputer, adversaries are abusing the legitimate Azure Monitor platform to send fraudulent alerts resembling Microsoft Security Team notifications regarding unauthorized charges on user accounts. This tactic leverages the trust associated with Microsoft’s services to bypass user caution. The core of the attack involves creating custom alerts within Azure Monitor that trigger based on common billing events, such as new orders or invoice activity. These alerts then generate emails, mimicking legitimate Microsoft communications, that instruct recipients to contact a provided phone number to resolve the issue. These emails utilize the azure-noreply@microsoft.com email address, passing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC authentication checks, thereby enhancing their credibility and facilitating their passage through standard spam filters.

The attackers are specifically targeting alert rules related to invoices and payments, crafting messages that create a sense of urgency – in this instance, a fabricated $389 charge from Windows Defender – to pressure victims into immediately contacting the scammer’s phone numbers. The campaign employs multiple alert categories to maximize its effectiveness and evade detection. The utilized alert rules include those related to order payments and invoice processing events. The emails are designed to appear authentic, preserving the original Microsoft header information and authentication results, to amplify the deception. This intricate approach demonstrates a strategic understanding of Microsoft’s monitoring infrastructure and security protocols. The potential outcome of such interactions is often the compromise of user credentials, leading to financial fraud, or the installation of malware via remote access tools. Given the enterprise-oriented nature of these emails, it is hypothesized that the ultimate goal of the attack is to gain initial access to corporate networks for subsequent, more targeted attacks. Users are strongly advised to exercise extreme caution when receiving any Azure or Microsoft alerts that include a phone number or request immediate action concerning billing issues, treating them with heightened suspicion.