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phishing

Dropbox phishing scam

Monday, February 5th, 2018

If you receive an email from your bank wanting to share a paper via Dropbox with you, be aware that it’s a phishing scam.

If you hover your mouse (don’t click on the Dropbox link) over the link the originating server will appear and it is NOT DropBox, but the phisher’s server, currently based in Brazil. No bank would ever use DropBox to send you documents.

This e-mail has some obvious signs of a phishing scam. First, it does not address you personally, but uses your email address. Also, the email sounds urgent, (it from “your bank”) trying to get you to react quickly without thinking and click on the button. Finally, if you hover over the button, your browser will display the link destination (what is called the spammy URL) at the bottom of the window. The URL does not belong to the alleged sender, Dropbox.

Victims who are fooled into clicking on the link will get the following webpage:

(Notice the links to Outlook Mail and the name of the server that is not Dropbox’s servers but one based in Brazil.)

These criminals want you to divulge your personal details like usernames, passwords etc.

If you have received emails similar to this please report it to the Information Technology Security Team using the following method:

Send the spam/phishing mail to help@sun.ac.za and sysadm@sun.ac.za.

Attach the phishing or suspicious mail on to the message if possible. There is a good tutorial on how to do this at the following link (Which is safe) : http://stbsp01.stb.sun.ac.za/innov/it/it-help/Wiki%20Pages/Spam%20sysadmin%20Eng.aspx

Start up a new mail addressed to sysadm@sun.ac.za (CC: help@sun.ac.za)
Use the Title “SPAM” (without quotes) in the Subject.
With this New Mail window open, drag the suspicious spam/phishing mail from your Inbox into the New Mail Window. It will attach the mail as an enclosure and a small icon with a light yellow envelope will appear in the attachments section of the New Mail.
Send the mail.

IF YOU HAVE FALLEN FOR THE SCAM:

If you did click on the link of this phishing spam and unwittingly give the scammers your username, e-mail address and password you should immediately go to http://www.sun.ac.za/useradm and change the passwords on ALL your university accounts (making sure the new password is completely different, and is a strong password that will not be easily guessed.) as well as changing the passwords on your social media and private e-mail accounts (especially if you use the same passwords on these accounts.)

IT have set up a website page with useful information on how to report and combat phishing and spam. The address is: https://blogs.sun.ac.za/it/en/2017/11/reporting-spam-malware-and-phishing/

[Article by David Wiles]

Posted in phishing, Security | Comments Off on Dropbox phishing scam

PHISHING: “Your Email Account Has Been Compromise”

Monday, January 29th, 2018

Please be aware that there are e-mails being sent from an outside e-mail address (@lasell.edu) with the subject “Your Email Account Has Been Compromise” (including capitalisation of every word and a spelling mistake at the end)

The mail contains only the following:

Verify HERE

This is a phishing scam. Information Technology will never send an email like this, ask you to provide your username or password or require you to click on a link in an e-mail.

Here is an example of the phishing mail:

Many people, including students and staff can be easily fooled and manipulated by the social engineering tricks of the phishing scammers.

Once they fall victim to this phishing scam and the scammers have control of an university account, they will stop using the outside e-mail address.

Don’t become one of these victims. If you receive and e-mail with the subject “Your Email Account Has Been Compromise” and it seems that comes from a university account (like a student number, or even a known university colleague), do not respond to it, forward it or click on the link.

Report it to Information Technology’s Cyber-Security Team (details below) and then delete or move it in your Junk E-mail folder. You can use the Rules function in Outlook and Office365 Mail to delete all mail with those subject lines or senders.

Here are the instructions again:

If you have received mail that looks like this please immediately report it to Information Technology using the following method:

Send the spam/phishing mail to help@sun.ac.za and sysadm@sun.ac.za.

Attach the phishing or suspicious mail on to the message if possible. There is a good tutorial on how to do this at the following link (Which is safe): http://stbsp01.stb.sun.ac.za/innov/it/it-help/Wiki%20Pages/Spam%20sysadmin%20Eng.aspx

1. Start up a new mail addressed to sysadm@sun.ac.za (CC: help@sun.ac.za)

2. Use the Title “SPAM” (without quotes) in the Subject.

3. With this New Mail window open, drag the suspicious spam/phishing mail from your Inbox into the New Mail Window. It will attach the mail as an enclosure and a small icon with a light yellow envelope will appear in the attachments section of the New Mail.

4. Send the mail.

IF YOU HAVE FALLEN FOR THE SCAM:

IT have set up a website page with useful information on how to report and combat phishing and spam. The address is: https://blogs.sun.ac.za/it/en/2017/11/reporting-spam-malware-and-phishing/

[ARTICLE by David Wiles]

Tags: phishing
Posted in phishing, Security | Comments Off on PHISHING: “Your Email Account Has Been Compromise”

Phishing: PSG “Your profile details will expire”

Monday, January 22nd, 2018

There is currently a phishing email making the rounds claiming to be from PSG Wealth.

Be on the lookout for an email requesting you to update your personal information, as your PSG online “profile details will expire”. The link redirects users to a page that looks like the PSG securities trading website, but is a clever forgery.

PSG have assured us that they will never send you an email asking to provide sensitive information online. So it is important to check the validity of any such emails before you respond to requests like these.

Below is an example of one such mail:

There are 3 obvious signs that this mail is fraudulent:

The sender´s email address (`from´ address) is disguised to look like it comes from PSG Wealth. The message is actually sent from a different address that does not match our PSG email addresses (using an @psg.com.sa address instead of an @psg.co.za address).
The recipient is not specified.

The website link provided is not to a PSG domain address and the website is not indicated as being secure. (no little padlock icon or https: in the URL)

What should you do if you have already provided your details in responding to this phishing scam?

If you responded to such an email, login to your account by typing psg.co.za into your browser window and reset your password immediately.

Continue to monitor your account for any unauthorised transactions and alert PSG immediately if you note any suspicious transactions.

Avoid becoming a victim in future: (This applies to all phishing scams, not just this fraudulent scam)

Type in website addresses – do not follow links embedded in emails.
Do not reuse passwords, especially for financial sites.
Do not click on attachments, unless you know who they are from and are expecting the document in question.
Never part with your login details.

If you are not sure that a request for information is legitimate, rather contact the company to verify its authenticity.

~~~

Report the spam/phishing mail to the following addresses:
help@sun.ac.za and sysadm@sun.ac.za.

Attach the phishing or suspicious mail on to the message if possible. There is a good tutorial on how to do this at the following link (which is safe) : http://stbsp01.stb.sun.ac.za/innov/it/it-help/Wiki%20Pages/Spam%20sysadmin%20Eng.aspx
1. Start up a new mail addressed to sysadm@sun.ac.za (CC: help@sun.ac.za)
2. Use the Title “SPAM” (without quotes) in the Subject.
3. With this New Mail window open, drag the suspicious spam/phishing mail from your Inbox into the New Mail Window. It will attach the mail as an enclosure and a small icon with a light yellow envelope will appear in the attachments section of the New Mail.
4. Send the mail.

[Article by David Wiles]

Tags: phishing
Posted in E-mail, phishing, Security | Comments Off on Phishing: PSG “Your profile details will expire”

Be cyberaware during the holiday period

Wednesday, December 20th, 2017

The time has come for everyone to take a well-deserved break and spend time with friends and family. From 22 December at 12:00 until 1 January Information Technology offices will be closed and no user support will be provided.

However, just because we’re on holiday it doesn’t mean fraudsters, opportunists and cybercriminals will also take a break. On the contrary, this is the ideal time for them to scam you out of your hard-earned money.

We’d like to remind you to be especially vigilant over the holiday season by following these guidelines when receiving emails or conducting online transactions:

We will never ask for your username and password. Don’t divulge your username and/or password if being asked via email. By doing this, you are giving someone access to all your confidential SU information, including salary details.
Do not click on any attachments, even if the address is a sun email address. If you are unsure, contact the person first to confirm.
Do not click on a website address given in an email. Rather go to your browser and type the correct address in the address bar.
Never conduct any transactions on a public, unprotected WiFi connection.
If you are unsure of the legitimacy of an email, contact the institution or person it was sent from directly by phone to confirm.

For further assistance email help@sun.ac.za or call our Service Desk at 808 4367. More information on cybersecurity can be found on our blog and Twitter account.

Tags: cybersecurity, phishing
Posted in E-mail, phishing, Security | Comments Off on Be cyberaware during the holiday period

Phishing: Email from “Stellenbosch University Helpdesk”

Wednesday, December 13th, 2017

This morning’s spear-phishing attack comes in the form of a fake mail from “HelpDesk” about an alleged “Email Update”

The spear-phishing mail is as follows:

“Notice From Stellenbosch University HelpDesk:

In an effort to increase the level of security for our email accounts User, We are implementing a new email password policy for your protection. If you have not update your password recently click here: sun.ac.za to update your password or your e-mail will be temporarily suspended .

Thanks for your co-operation.”

This is, of course, a phishing scam and you shouldn’t consider it as legitimate even though it allegedly comes from the “Helpdesk”.

The poor grammar, lack of official branding and threatening tone of the mail makes it a classic phishing scam, but with the added danger of students and personnel falling for it because of the salutation “Notice from the Stellenbosch University HelpDesk:”

We have already blocked access to the server, but there is a high risk that users who are currently on holiday and accessing university mail through their ADSL internet connections or cell phone, will still have access to the scammer’s server and will be fooled by the “forged” login page and provide the scammers with their usernames and passwords. If this happens the scammers will gain control over the personnel or student account and continue their attack from “within” the university network.

Always send the spam/phishing mail to the following addresses:

help@sun.ac.za and sysadm@sun.ac.za.

Attach the phishing or suspicious mail on to the message if possible. There is a good tutorial on how to do this at the following link (which is safe) : http://stbsp01.stb.sun.ac.za/innov/it/it-help/Wiki%20Pages/Spam%20sysadmin%20Eng.aspx

Start up a new mail addressed to sysadm@sun.ac.za (CC: help@sun.ac.za)
Use the Title “SPAM” (without quotes) in the Subject.
With this New Mail window open, drag the suspicious spam/phishing mail from your Inbox into the New Mail Window. It will attach the mail as an enclosure and a small icon with a light yellow envelope will appear in the attachments section of the New Mail.
Send the mail.

IF YOU HAVE FALLEN FOR THE SCAM:

IT has set up a website page with useful information on how to report and combat phishing and spam. The address is:

https://blogs.sun.ac.za/it/en/2017/11/reporting-spam-malware-and-phishing/ As you can see the address has a sun.ac.za at the end of the domain name, so it is legitimate.

Tags: phishing, spear phishing
Posted in E-mail, phishing, Security | Comments Off on Phishing: Email from “Stellenbosch University Helpdesk”

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phishing

Dropbox phishing scam

PHISHING: “Your Email Account Has Been Compromise”

Phishing: PSG “Your profile details will expire”

Be cyberaware during the holiday period

Phishing: Email from “Stellenbosch University Helpdesk”