Surety IT Security Alert – September 2019

Surety IT provides a monthly alert of the scams impacting Australian businesses including phishing scams, malware attacks and security breaches/bugs.

You need to be particularly aware of:

1. NAB

  • Sent from a single compromised address, using the display name ‘NAB Online’, this latest scam is titled ‘You Have One New Important Message’.
  • The body of the email claims that a hold has been placed in their card as ‘usage in a different location’ has been detected. They are then directed to visit their nearest branch or click on the provided link to ‘get verified within minutes’.
  • Those who click on the link are led to a compromised WordPress phishing site that is designed to harvest confidential details.
  • Once logged in, users are taken to a similar page requesting security information and debit card verification
  • Upon submitting the form, the user is then directed to a thank you page.
  • Poorly worded and grammatical mistakes are red flags contained in this email scam.

2. Remittance Advice

  • Masquerading as a Remittance advice, this email scam originates from a few different compromised addresses.
  • The body of the email includes an image resembling a PDF document and informs recipients that payment has been made on their behalf and to contact the ‘AP email’ if they have any inquiries.
  • Those who click on the PDF are directed to a URL that downloads a suspicious .JAR file, designed to execute the malicious payload when opened.

3. Update Your Account

  • Sent with the subject ‘Mailbox Error’, the email originates from a single compromised address from a French domain.
  • Notifies recipients that as their account is ‘not updated’, it may possibly lead to a ‘permanent deactivation’ and a link is provided to update the account.
  • Those who click on the link are redirected to a fake Microsoft Exchange phishing page where they are requested to input their credentials
  • Should recipients submit the form, the users credentials are harvested even though it seemed nothing happened.

4. LinkedIn

  • Purporting to be from LinkedIn, the body of the email is crafted in a way that is similar to a legitimate notification.
  • The email invites recipients to ‘start a conversation’ and uses a photo supposedly of the senders LinkedIn profile.
  • Recipients who click on the ‘read message’ link are led to a fake but realistic looking LinkedIn login page
  • Designed to harvest confidential data of LinkedIn users for malicious intent, those who ‘sign in’ are then led to the legitimate LinkedIn login page.
  • Red flags contained in this scam include formatting errors such as multiple spacing errors.

5. NAB Again

  • Similar to a previous scam, this email is sent via two different compromised email addresses and uses a display name of ‘NAB online’.
  • The body of the email informs recipients that a hold on their card has occurred due to usage being detected in a ‘different location’
  • Recipients are directed to visit any NAB bank to ‘resolve this problem’ or ‘download the attached form and get verified in minutes’
  • Those who open the attachment form are required to provide their user credentials and personal information which is harvested upon submission. The user is then redirected to a fake confirmation page.

6. Commonwealth Bank

  • Sent via a compromised address, the email uses a display name of ‘Commonwealth Bank of Australia’ and is addressed to ‘Valued Customer’.
  • Informs recipients that they have ‘1 IMPORANT-security message(s) from NetBank Security team’ and a link is provided to view the message.
  • Should recipients click on the link, they are directed to a very real looking but fake phishing page disguised as the Commonwealth netBank login page where they are requested to insert their login credentials.
  • Once ‘logged in’, users are then redirected to the actual Commonwealth Bank web portal.
  • Red flags within this scam include formatting and grammatical errors.

7. Hubdoc

  • Sent via a single compromised email address and purporting to be from HubDoc, this email uses a display name of ‘Genscape Australia Pty Ltd’ and informs recipients of the arrival of a new statement.
  • Recipients who click on the ‘View Document’ button are directed to what is currently a blank page that could potentially download a malicious payload in the future.

If you’d like any further information, assistance with your cyber security or you don’t know where to start please call us on  1300 478 738 or email us at  info@suretyit.com.au.

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About the author:

Ash Klemm

Ash Klemm

Ash has over 20 years of experience in sales and marketing.His journey from a casual salesperson at Chandlers to State Manager at a national IT distribution company, while battling health issues, including a double lung transplant in 2015, gave him the experience, know-how, tenacity, and marketing insight, to find solutions and help businesses grow.After spending several years in the ivory tower of state management, Ash missed the genuine connection of face to face meetings and helping make a difference to businesses in need.His authentic, conversational, and easy-going nature helps our customers feel at ease and shows them we are a brand to trust. Ash spends his days advocating for our customers to ensure they receive the best possible service in a timely fashion. Ash is also the in house chair builder.His curiosity and natural problem-solving ability make him the perfect first call for all our new customers to help determine what is wrong, how Surety IT can help and what the best solutions are moving forward.
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