Cartoon Mouse, Real Threat: How Haozi Is Making Phishing Easier for Cybercriminals

Security experts have uncovered a major comeback of a dangerous cybercrime operation known as Haozi. This Chinese-language phishing service, known for its cartoon mouse mascot, is offering criminals a powerful and easy-to-use toolkit to launch online scams with almost no technical skills required.

According to researchers at Netcraft, Haozi has helped criminals steal over $280,000 through its system, with many recent withdrawals pointing to ongoing activity. Thousands of Haozi’s control panels have been found across the internet, showing that this tool is now widely used.

What Makes Haozi So Dangerous?

Unlike older phishing kits or even newer ones like the Darcula suite—which still require some technical knowledge—Haozi is fully automated. Criminals don’t need to touch code or understand complicated setups. Instead, they just rent a server, enter a few details into Haozi’s web interface, and the platform sets everything up on its own.

This point-and-click system allows even beginners to run sophisticated phishing attacks. From stealing passwords to bypassing two-factor authentication (2FA), Haozi handles it all. The dashboard also lets users manage multiple campaigns, filter traffic, and tweak attacks in real time depending on the information stolen from victims.

Phishing-as-a-Service Is Now Big Business

Haozi operates like a regular software company, offering tech support on Telegram, FAQ pages, and even custom phishing page design. It charges about $2,000 for yearly access, with shorter subscriptions available at higher prices.

It also earns money by selling ads on its platform and connecting customers with outside services like SMS providers, taking a cut of those deals as well.

Even after its original 7,000-member Telegram group was shut down, Haozi quickly bounced back, gaining over 1,700 new followers since late April 2025. This shows that the demand for user-friendly cybercrime tools is still high.

A New Era in Cybercrime

Platforms like Haozi represent a shift in how online crimes are carried out. As companies get better at stopping hackers, criminals are turning to services that require no hacking skills at all. These platforms act like Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) businesses—with subscriptions, updates, and support—making cybercrime easier and more profitable than ever.

Security experts warn that this trend could make phishing attacks more common and harder to stop, especially as more inexperienced criminals join in using tools like Haozi.