Cybersecurity Blog

Latest Phishing Emails – 9/23/16

REPORTED PHISHES OF THE WEEK
Keep a look out for these types of emails arriving in your inbox.  Want to learn more about phishing, check out the video.
  • “Account report”: Phish prompts reader to open attachment to view information on cash account problems.
  •  “Alert: Your [[domain]] Email is at Risk!”: Fake GoDaddy email asks users to log in to upgrade account.
  •  “Booking confirmation”: Phish prompts readers to open attachment to view booking/confirmation information.
  •  “Booking information — Conf. No. 87415”: Fake Lufthansa email baits readers to click link to check flight information.
  •  “Budget Report”: Phish invites readers to view budget report by clicking link.
  •  “Confirmation letter”: Phish asks users to click on link to review load confirmation letter.
  •  “Invoice 80521”: Fake medical center invoice baits users to click link to view more information.
  •  “Status Alert”: Fake Amazon email prompts user to log in to update account information.
  •  “TT COPY”: Malicious email attachment purports to contain information on wire transfer.
  • “Your account was restricted – Urgent”: Fake LinkedIn email requests users to verify account by clicking link.
CURRENT EVENTS
  • “Conspiracy Theory Proven: Hillary Clinton Hired Body Double”: Fake news story baits users to click link for more information.
  •  “New login from Firefox on Windows 8.1”: Fake Dropbox email invites users to click link for login information.
  •  “You’ve sent a payment on Venmo”: Fake Venmo email provides malicious link for information on alleged payment.
BANKING
  • “You have a secure message from American Express”: Fake secure message from Amex invites users to click malicious link.
  •  SOCIAL NETWORKING
  •  “Please add me to your LinkedIn Network”: Fake LinkedIn invite provides malicious link to click.
ONLINE SERVICES
  •  “Invitation: Performance Review”: Fake google Calendar invitation baits users to click on malicious link.

Apple Store Phishing Attack – 9/23/16

A new Phishing attack is using a very realistic-looking Apple App Store message to trick you into trying to prevent getting charged for something you did not buy.

This phishing attack tries to make you fill out a page with your full address and credit card information so that you “will not get charged”.

Remember to never click on links in emails to go to a vendor’s website. Always use your browser and either type in the address of the company or use a bookmark you have set yourself earlier. And while we are at it, never just open an email attachment you did not ask for. Let’s stay safe out there and Think Before You Click!

What to do about Yahoo’s security breach – 9/23/16

Yahoo announced that 500 million of their accounts were hacked and sold to internet criminals.  Yahoo is responding by sending emails to their users suggesting they change their passwords and account information.  The problem is they are including links in the emails, giving cyber criminals a template for phishing emails they can use to initiate a cyber attack. If you are a yahoo user, protect yourself by doing the following:

  • Navigate to the Yahoo website directly without using an email link and change your password. Make sure it is long, strong and unique.
  • If your Yahoo password was used on other sites, go to those sites directly to change their passwords. Each site should have a unique password.
  • Check your security questions on these sites and make sure the answers aren’t obvious.
  • Be on the watch for any emails from Yahoo. Do not click on any links within these emails. Contact Yahoo directly to verify all communication.
  • Consider using a password manager to generate and store hard to hack passwords.
  • Although Yahoo currently states that no credit card information was taken, stay safe and check your credit card statements for unauthorized transactions.

Although these precautions are directed at Yahoo users, everyone can benefit from following them.

A New Type of Tech Support Fraud – 9/12/16

There is a new scam you need to watch out for. In the last few years, online service providers like Google, Yahoo and Facebook have started to send emails to their users when there was a possible security risk, like a log-on to your account from an unknown computer.

Bad guys have copied these emails in the past, and tried to trick you into logging into a fake website they set up and steal your username and password. Now, however, they send these fake security emails with a 1-800 number that they claim you need to call immediately.

If you do, two things may happen:

1) You get to talk right away with a real internet criminal, usually with a foreign accent, that tries to scam you. They claim there is a problem with your computer, “fix” it, and ask for your credit card.

2) You get sent to voice mail and kept there until you hang up, but your phone number was put in a queue and the bad guys will call you and try the same scam.

Remember, if you get any emails that either promise something too good to be true, OR looks like you need to prevent a negative consequence, Think Before You Click and in this case before you pick up the phone.

If you decide to call any vendor, go to their website and call the number listed there. Never use a phone number from any email you may have received. Here is a real example of such a call. Dont’ fall for it!
http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/241394/phone_phish.mp3