Zika Virus Email Scam Used to Deliver Malware

Last week a healthcare provider had its electronic health record system locked by ransomware; now a Zika virus email scam has been uncovered, showing the depths that some hackers and cybercriminals will stoop to in order to make a quick buck.

The latest email scam takes advantage of the public interest in the Zika virus epidemic in Brazil. Since April last year, the number of reported cases of Zika fever has grown. Zika fever is caused by the transmission of the Zika virus by Aedes mosquitos. Zika fever produces similar symptoms to Dengue fever, although the symptoms are often milder.

Scientists have also been alerted to a rise in the number of cases of microcephaly reported in Brazil. Microcephaly is a birth defect resulting in babies being born with a smaller than average head as well as other poor pregnancy outcomes. The rise in microcephaly has been linked to the increase in cases of Zika virus.

While no concrete evidence has been uncovered to suggest that pregnant women contracting Zika are likely to give birth to babies with microcephaly, there is concern that Zika can cause the birth defect. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports the virus has now spread to 23 countries. People are naturally worried. Women in Brazil and Columbia have been told to avoid becoming pregnant and hold off having children, while the government in El Salvador has told women not to get pregnant until 2018.

A potentially global health issue such as Zika is naturally a worry for any woman looking to start a family, and understandably the latest news about the virus is likely to be read. Scammers have been quick to take advantage of the media interest, and a scam has been developed to take advantage and infect computers with malware

Zika Virus Email Scam Delivers JS.Downloader Malware

The Zika virus email scam is currently doing the rounds in Brazil and is being sent in Portuguese. The Zika virus email scam appears to have been sent from Saúde Curiosa (Curious Health), which is a legitimate health and wellness website in Brazil. The email contains an attachment infected with JS.Downloader. JS. Downloader is a malware that is used to download malicious malware to infected users’ devices.

The subject line of the email is “ZIKA VIRUS! ISSO MESMO, MATANDO COM ÁGUA!” which translates as Zika Virus! That’s Right, killing it with water!” The email tells the recipient to click on the link contained in the email to find out how to kill the mosquitos that carry the virus, although the email also contains a file attachment which the email recipient is urged to open. Doing so will install the malware onto the user’s device. The link directs the user to Dropbox with the same outcome.

Anyone receiving an unsolicited email with advice about the Zika virus, regardless of the language it is written in, should treat the email with suspicion. This is unlikely to be the only Zika virus email scam sent by cybercriminals this year. With the Olympics taking place in Brazil in the summer, criminals are likely to use topics such as the Zika virus to spread malware.

If you want information about Zika, check the WHO website. If you receive an Zika virus email, delete it and do not click on any links in the email or open any attachments.

Healthcare Ransomware Attack Sees Hospital Pay $17K Ransom to Unlock EHR

Over the past 12 months, cybercriminals have used ransomware with increasing frequency to extort money out of businesses, leading some security experts to predict that healthcare ransomware infections would become a major problem in 2016.

Would cybercriminals stoop so low and attack the providers of critical medical care? The answer is yes. This week a U.S. hospital has taken the decision to pay a ransom to obtain the security keys necessary to unlock data that had been encrypted by ransomware. The attack does not appear to have been targeted, but the ransom still needed to be paid to unlock the hospital’s electronic medical record system.

Last year, Cryptowall infections were regularly reported that required individuals to pay a ransom of around $500 to get the security key to recover files. However, when businesses accidentally install ransomware the ransom demand is usually far higher. Cybercriminals can name their price and it is usually well in excess of $500.

Healthcare Ransomware Infection Results in Hospital Paying $16,664 to Unlock EHR

While businesses have been targeted by cybercriminal gangs and have had their critical data locked by ransomware, it is rare for healthcare providers to be attacked. The latest healthcare ransomware infection does not appear to have been targeted, instead a member of staff inadvertently installed malware which locked the hospital’s enterprise-wide electronic health record system (EHR): The system that houses patient health records and critical medical files.

The EHR of Southern California’s Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center was locked on February 5, 2016., with physicians and other members of the hospital staff unable to access the EHR to view and log patient health information. An investigation into the IT issue was immediately launched and it soon became apparent that the database had been locked by ransomware.

No one wants to have to pay cybercriminals for security keys, and the hospital took steps to try to recover without having to give in to ransom demands. The Police and FBI were contacted and started an investigation. Computer experts were also brought in to help restore the computer system but all to no avail.

The news of the healthcare ransomware attack broke late last week, with early reports suggesting the hospital had received a ransom demand of 9,000 Bitcoin, or around $3.4 million. The EHR was taken out of action for more than a week while the hospital attempted to recover and unlock its files.

Eventually, the decision had to be taken to pay the ransom. While it may have been possible for patient health data to be restored from backups, the time it would take, the resources required to do that, and the disruption it would likely cause was not deemed to be worth it. Allen Stefanek, CEO of Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, took the decision to pay the ransom to obtain the security key to unlock the data.

In a statement posted on the company’s website he confirmed that the reports of a ransom demand of 9,000 Bitcoin were untrue. The attackers were asking for 40 Bitcoin, or $16,664, to release the security key to unlock the hospital’s data.

Stefanek said, “The quickest and most efficient way to restore our systems and administrative functions was to pay the ransom and obtain the decryption key. In the best interest of restoring normal operations, we did this.”

Fortunately, healthcare ransomware attacks are relatively rare, as many healthcare providers in the United States already have controls in place to reduce the likelihood of an attack being successful. Staff are trained to be vigilant and not to install software on healthcare devices or open suspicious email attachments. Many use a spam filter to quarantine suspect emails. The latter being an essential protection against healthcare ransomware attacks.

The Importance of a Robust Spam Filter to Prevent Healthcare Ransomware Attacks

A healthcare ransomware attack does not just have a financial impact; it has potential to cause actual harm to patients. The delivery of healthcare services is slowed as a result of the inability to access and share healthcare data, and not being able to view patient health records could delay the delivery of critical patient care or result in incorrect medications being prescribed. That could be a life or death matter. Preventing healthcare ransomware attacks is therefore essential. A technological solution should be employed for maximum protection.

TitanHQ’s SpamTitan software has been developed to keep businesses protected from malware and ransomware attacks. SpamTitan uses two anti-malware engines to maximize the probability of spam emails and malicious attachments being caught and prevented from being delivered to end user inboxes. SpamTitan catches 99.9% of Spam email and quarantines emails with suspicious attachments to prevent them from being delivered.

If you want to reduce the risk of a suffering a ransomware attack and having to pay cybercriminals to unlock critical data, using a robust, powerful anti-spam solution such as SpamTitan is the best way to protect computers and networks from attack. Along with staff training to improve understanding of healthcare ransomware and other malware, it is possible to prevent attacks from being successful.

For further information on SpamTitan anti-spam solutions, contact the TitanHQ team today:

US Sales +1 813 304 2544

UK/EU Sales +44 203 808 5467

IRL +353 91 54 55 00

Or email sales@spamtitan.com

Virgin Media Spoofed Emails: Data Breach Denied; Customers Blamed

Virgin Media customers have been complaining about an increase in spam emails since September last year, with many targeted with spoofed emails; however, the Virgin Media spoofed emails are not the result of a data breach according to a statement recently issued by the ISP.

Virgin Media Spoofed Emails Not the Result of a Data Breach

Customers first started to receive spam and spoofed emails in September last year, shortly after Virgin Media moved from Google to its own platform. The problem appears to be affecting individuals with blueyonder and ntlworld email accounts.

The Virgin Media spoofed emails indicate the company has suffered a data breach and hackers are in possession of email accounts and email address books. Virgin Media has denied it has suffered a data breach, although the ISP has acknowledged that some its users are being targeted by spammers and that it is aware of a “spoofed email message problem.”

Virgin Media are claiming that the increase in email spam is a consequence of the change of platform. The ISP maintains its own spam filters are not as effective as those used by Google, hence the increase in email spam since the switch of platform.

While this is plausible and would explain the increase in email spam, it does not adequately explain the Virgin Media spoofed emails. Customers have reported that a number of their address book contacts have received spoofed messages which would appear to have been sent from their email accounts.

Some of the affected customers claim that the spoofing occurs in waves every 3 to 4 weeks. Emails are sent to five address book contacts at a time. Those emails contain a link to a malicious website which is used to download malware to the users’ computers. The victim is aware of the spoofing as they often receive bounce-backs from undeliverable messages.

Company statement about Virgin Media spoofed emails

Customers Blamed for Virgin Media Spoofed Emails

The lack of a reasonable answer and a solution to stop the Virgin Media spoofed emails from being sent has led a number of customers to take to social media sites to vent their spleens and share details of their experiences. A Facebook group has been set up for this purpose. Around 70 customers have come forward and shared their experiences on the Facebook group so far.

Customers complaining about the email spoofing to Virgin Media are being informed that the message storm problem is due to customers, not a data breach. Customers disagree, with many claiming the problem cannot be local. Many bounce backs are generated as the email addresses are out of date, whereas the address books on local computers are not. The problem is therefore with the email address books stored on Virgin Media servers.

Disgruntled customers unhappy with the response they have received from Virgin Media have now complained to the Information Commissioner’s Office, which is looking into the issue.

Penalties for Spamming: 27 Months Jail Time for Indianapolis Spammer

What are the penalties for spamming? A man from Indianapolis has just discovered the penalties for sending spam can be severe, having been recently sentenced to serve over 2 years in jail.

Indianapolis man discovers the penalties for spamming can be severe

Phillip Fleitz, 31, of Indianapolis was recently sentenced to 27 months in a federal penitentiary after violating the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003: A law introduced to make the spamming of cell phones and email accounts illegal. The law was introduced by George W. Bush to protect U.S. citizens from unwanted marketing messages and pornography. Under the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, the penalties for spamming include lengthy jail terms and hefty fines.

US District Judge Maurice Cohill Jr. passed sentence in a Philadelphia court earlier this month. The judge said the spam campaign orchestrated by Fleitz was “sophisticated and serious,” and resulted in millions of spam messages being sent to U.S. citizens. Fleitz, along with two other individuals involved in the massive spamming campaign, were raking in between $2,000 and $3000 per week. They were paid for the clicks they managed to generate by sending users to marketing websites.

The marketing websites gathered contact details from visitors, a practice which is legal. What is not legal, and contravenes the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, is using spam marketing to generate traffic to those websites.

Fleitz was the only individual from the trio to receive a jail term as he was the architect of the scheme. “It was his idea. He was the first to do it,” said prosecuting US attorney Jimmy Kitchen. Last year, Fleitz pled guilty to using a protected computer to relay or retransmit multiple commercial electronic mail messages with the intent to deceive or mislead recipients, with the sentence only just being passed.

Spammer arrested after Darkode website takedown

Flietz was arrested as part of an FBI investigation into Darkode, a website used by hackers and cybercriminals to market illegal computer skills. The taking down of the website resulted in 12 individuals being charged for computer crimes.

The two other individuals involved in the spam campaign, Naveed Ahmed, 27, wrote the program that allowed the scheme to operate. He received 2-years’ probation and was sentenced last year. Dewayne Watts, wrote the spam messages which were designed to fool users into responding. He received 2-months’ probation, including a period of 6 months of being confined to his house.

The spamming campaign was run via servers based in China between September 2011 and February 2013. Fleitz recruited Ahmed to write a computer program that enabled the spammers to send millions of spam text messages and emails to mobile phones and computers. Ahmed’s program mined cellphone numbers and matched them up with carriers.  The messages written by Watts advised the recipients they had won gift cards that could be claimed by clicking the links contained in the messages.

The penalties for spamming under the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 can be severe. While Fleitz only received 27 months in jail, he could potentially have been sentenced to a maximum of 60 months of jail time and fined up to $250,000. When determining the penalties for spamming, judges take prior history into consideration as well as the severity of the offences.

TitanHQ.fr a cet article en français.

FAQ

Who is in charge of enforcing the CAN-SPAM Act?

The CAN-SPAM Act is enforced primarily by the Federal Trade Commission, which can seek civil penalties of up to $16,000 per violation. In certain circumstances the Act is enforced by various other federal agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission, state attorneys general, and Internet Service Providers. There is no private right of action.

Who can I complain to about spam and phishing emails?

It depends on the nature of the email and whether or not you have responded to it. For example, complaints about emails advertising financial investments should be sent to the Securities and Exchange Commission, while those relating to miracle medical cures should be sent to the Food and Drug Administration. You will find the full list of who to complain to on the Department of Justice website.

Has the CAN-SPAM Act been updated since it was first enacted?

In 2017, the Federal Trade Commission sought public comment on the CAN-SPAM Act ahead of a review. After receiving 92 comments “overwhelmingly” in favor of keeping the rules as they are, in 2019 the Commission concluded the Act still benefits businesses and consumers without imposing substantial economic burdens on genuine email marketing and the rules were kept the same.

How can I prevent my business receiving spam and phishing emails?

Speak with us about our email filtering service which can detect up to 99.97% of spam emails and significantly reduce the likelihood of a phishing email being delivered. Our team will be happy to organization a no-obligation demonstration of our service in action and give you the opportunity to take advantage of a free trial in order to evaluate our service in your own environment.