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from the when-is-it-EVER-safe-to-click-an-e-mail-link? dept.
Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:
With the end of support for Windows 7 coming in January, many users are looking to update to Windows 10 to continue getting security updates and support from Microsoft. According to a Tuesday report from security firm Trustwave, attackers are well aware of this and are targeting Microsoft users with fake Windows update emails that will infect computers with ransomware -- an especially sinister type of malware that locks up valuable data on your computer, and demands that you pay a ransom to release it or your data will be destroyed.
The spammers are sending some Windows users emails with subject lines "Install Latest Microsoft Windows Update now!" or "Critical Microsoft Windows Update!" The emails, which claim to be from Microsoft, include one sentence in the message body, which starts with two capital letters, Trustwave found. They ask recipients to click an attachment to download the "latest critical update."
The attachment has a .jpg file extension, but is actually a malicious .NET downloader, which will deliver malware to your machine. The ransomware, called bitcoingenerator.exe, encrypts the recipient's files, and leaves a ransom note titled "Cyborg_DECRYPT.txt" on their desktop, asking for $500 in bitcoin to unlock the files.
[...] "This is a very common type of phishing attack -- where the attacker tries to convince the target to open a malicious attachment," Karl Sigler, threat intelligence manager of Trustwave SpiderLabs, said in an email. "Windows users should understand that Microsoft will never send patches via email, but rather use their internal update utility embedded in every current Windows operating system. Users should always be wary of any unsolicited emails, especially those that present urgency to open attachments or click on links."
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Pslytely Psycho on Friday November 22 2019, @01:27AM (2 children)
We have had email scams for over thirty years now.
They are well publicized, reported on in-depth each time and yet people don't get that:
Microsoft never sends unsolicited emails.
The IRS never sends unsolicited emails.
Nor does the FBI, your bank, or the local farmers market.
And yet, there are always scores of victims of this type of phishing attack. Individuals, governments, hospitals, the list is nearly endless. Laws don't help, informing people doesn't help, education apparently doesn't help. Electronic oversight (filters, anti-virus scans etc, etc...) doesn't help and can't combat stupidity. Some scams are so good that otherwise intelligent people even get caught up in it. Is there an answer?
“Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.”
― George Carlin
Ah George, we miss you so.....
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 22 2019, @02:10PM (1 child)
But Microsoft called me up and told me about viruses on my computer.
They even had me bring up the list of dangerous files so I could see them!
(Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Saturday November 23 2019, @01:05AM
Oh cool, hey could you help me transfer approximately 4 million U.S. dollars to the United States from Nigeria? I just need a cashiers check for 14000 U.S. Dollars to pay for the transfer to your account. Please send your banking information to:
IMASUCKER@RIUOFF.COM
Looking forward to a lasting and profitable relationship.
Your very good friend,
Prince Fuxuin Theass
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.