A new phishing operation is misleading users through an extremely subtle visual technique that alters the appearance of Microsoft’s domain name. Attackers have registered the look-alike address “rnicrosoft(.)com,” which replaces the single letter m with the characters r and n positioned closely together. The small difference is enough to trick many people into believing they are interacting with the legitimate site.
This method is a form of typosquatting where criminals depend on how modern screens display text. Email clients and browsers often place r and n so closely that the pair resembles an m, leading the human eye to automatically correct the mistake. The result is a domain that appears trustworthy at first glance although it has no association with the actual company.
Experts note that phishing messages built around this tactic often copy Microsoft’s familiar presentation style. Everything from symbols to formatting is imitated to encourage users to act without closely checking the URL. The campaign takes advantage of predictable reading patterns where the brain prioritizes recognition over detail, particularly when the user is scanning quickly.
The deception becomes stronger on mobile screens. Limited display space can hide the entire web address and the address bar may shorten or disguise the domain. Criminals use this opportunity to push malicious links, deliver invoices that look genuine, or impersonate internal departments such as HR teams. Once a victim believes the message is legitimate, they are more likely to follow the link or download a harmful attachment.
The “rn” substitution is only one example of a broader pattern. Typosquatting groups also replace the letter o with the number zero, add hyphens to create official-sounding variations, or register sites with different top level domains that resemble the original brand. All of these are intended to mislead users into entering passwords or sending sensitive information.
Security specialists advise users to verify every unexpected message before interacting with it. Expanding the full sender address exposes inconsistencies that the display name may hide. Checking links by hovering over them, or using long-press previews on mobile devices, can reveal whether the destination is legitimate. Reviewing email headers, especially the Reply-To field, can also uncover signs that responses are being redirected to an external mailbox controlled by attackers.
When an email claims that a password reset or account change is required, the safest approach is to ignore the provided link. Instead, users should manually open a new browser tab and visit the official website. Organisations are encouraged to conduct repeated security awareness exercises so employees do not react instinctively to familiar-looking alerts.
Below are common variations used in these attacks:
• Letter Pairing: r and n are combined to imitate m as seen in rnicrosoft(.)com.
• Number Replacement: the letter o is switched with the number zero in addresses like micros0ft(.)com.
• Added Hyphens: attackers introduce hyphens to create domains that appear official, such as microsoft-support(.)com.
• Domain Substitution: similar names are created by altering only the top level domain, for example microsoft(.)co.
This phishing strategy succeeds because it relies on human perception rather than technical flaws. Recognising these small changes and adopting consistent verification habits remain the most effective protections against such attacks.
