How to spot fake emails like "Measures To Strengthen Server Security"
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What kind of scam is "Measures To Strengthen Server Security"?
After examining the letter, we have determined that it is a fraudulent email crafted by scammers with the aim of deceiving recipients into divulging personal information. The email is designed to appear as if it was sent by an email service provider and contains a hyperlink to a phishing website. Recipients should ignore this deceitful email.
More about the "Measures To Strengthen Server Security" scam email
This email contains several red flags that tell it is a phishing attempt, including vague language, an urgent call to action, and a request for personal information. It claims to be from a service provider, mentions security breaches on the host server, and warns the recipient of potential email data breaches.
It requests that the recipient take action by enrolling in the service provider's updated security system by clicking on a button labeled "Take action". The email ends with a statement expressing the provider's desire to serve the recipient better and provides a link to a "Help Center" for more information.
The "Take action" button leads to a phishing page designed to imitate a login page accordingly to the recipient's email address. For instance, if the recipient uses Bing mailbox, then the phishing page displays a fake Bing login site. The purpose of this phishing page is to steal login credentials.
Scammers can use stolen email account login credentials in a variety of ways. One common tactic is to access the victim's contact list and send spam or phishing emails to their friends and colleagues, posing as the victim.
Scammers can also search through the victim's emails to gather sensitive information, such as bank account numbers, social security numbers, or other personal information that can be used for identity theft or financial fraud.
Additionally, scammers may attempt to use login credentials to gain access to other online accounts, such as social media or banking accounts.
| Name | Measures To Strengthen Server Security Email Scam |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Recipients are exposed to potential email data breaches. |
| Related Domain | toyostone.co[.]jp |
| Detection Names | Avira (Phishing), Combo Cleaner (Malware), Emsisoft (Phishing), Kaspersky (Phishing), Sophos (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Disguise | Letter from an email service provider |
| Symptoms | Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of the computer. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains. |
| Damage | Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Similar scam emails in general
Phishing emails often create a sense of urgency, using language such as "urgent action required" or "your account will be suspended" to pressure the recipient into taking immediate action. Such emails often include links that lead to fake login pages or other fraudulent websites designed to steal personal information.
They typically ask the recipient to provide personal information, such as login credentials, social security numbers, or credit card details. Examples of phishing emails are "Incoming Mails Have Been Restricted Email Scam", "Documents Inquiry Email Scam", and "ACCOUNT SHUT-DOWN Email Scam". It is important to mention that emails can be used to deliver malware.
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Cybercriminals can trick users into downloading and executing malware through email by using malicious attachments or links. These attachments can come in different forms, such as harmful PDF or MS Office documents, archives with other malicious files, JavaScript or executable files, and even ISO files.
The goal of the attackers is to lure users into downloading and opening these files, leading to infection. It's worth noting that not all malware infects computers right away. For instance, malicious MS Office documents require users to enable macro commands for the malware to execute.
How to avoid installation of malware?
Be careful when opening emails from unknown or suspicious senders. Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from such emails. Only download software and files from authorized websites or stores, and ensure that both the operating system and installed software are up to date. Furthermore, abstain from clicking on ads and links on untrustworthy websites.
If you've already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
Text presented in the "Measures To Strengthen Server Security" email letter:
Subject: Note: Action required
Dear ********
Concerning the recent security breaches on our host server as reported by ******** provider,
We have taken measures to strengthen our server security to prevent future breaches.
We urge you to use the "Take action" button to enroll on our newly updated security system
to avoid breach of email data.
Take action
You received this email to let you know about important changes to your ******** Account and services.
For more enquiries, visit our Help Center.
We hope to serve you better.
Regards,
******** Service provider.
Screenshot of the phishing page:
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Quick menu:
- What is Measures To Strengthen Server Security phishing email?
- Types of malicious emails.
- How to spot a malicious email?
- What to do if you fell for an email scam?
Types of malicious emails:
Phishing Emails
Most commonly, cybercriminals use deceptive emails to trick Internet users into giving away their sensitive private information, for example, login information for various online services, email accounts, or online banking information.
Such attacks are called phishing. In a phishing attack, cybercriminals usually send an email message with some popular service logo (for example, Microsoft, DHL, Amazon, Netflix), create urgency (wrong shipping address, expired password, etc.), and place a link which they hope their potential victims will click on.
After clicking the link presented in such email message, victims are redirected to a fake website that looks identical or extremely similar to the original one. Victims are then asked to enter their password, credit card details, or some other information that gets stolen by cybercriminals.
Emails with Malicious Attachments
Another popular attack vector is email spam with malicious attachments that infect users' computers with malware. Malicious attachments usually carry trojans that are capable of stealing passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.
In such attacks, cybercriminals' main goal is to trick their potential victims into opening an infected email attachment. To achieve this goal, email messages usually talk about recently received invoices, faxes, or voice messages.
If a potential victim falls for the lure and opens the attachment, their computers get infected, and cybercriminals can collect a lot of sensitive information.
While it's a more complicated method to steal personal information (spam filters and antivirus programs usually detect such attempts), if successful, cybercriminals can get a much wider array of data and can collect information for a long period of time.
Sextortion Emails
This is a type of phishing. In this case, users receive an email claiming that a cybercriminal could access the webcam of the potential victim and has a video recording of one's masturbation.
To get rid of the video, victims are asked to pay a ransom (usually using Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency). Nevertheless, all of these claims are false - users who receive such emails should ignore and delete them.
How to spot a malicious email?
While cyber criminals try to make their lure emails look trustworthy, here are some things that you should look for when trying to spot a phishing email:
- Check the sender's ("from") email address: Hover your mouse over the "from" address and check if it's legitimate. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft, be sure to check if the email address is @microsoft.com and not something suspicious like @m1crosoft.com, @microsfot.com, @account-security-noreply.com, etc.
- Check for generic greetings: If the greeting in the email is "Dear user", "Dear @youremail.com", "Dear valued customer", this should raise suspiciousness. Most commonly, companies call you by your name. Lack of this information could signal a phishing attempt.
- Check the links in the email: Hover your mouse over the link presented in the email, if the link that appears seems suspicious, don't click it. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft and the link in the email shows that it will go to firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0... you shouldn't trust it. It's best not to click any links in the emails but to visit the company website that sent you the email in the first place.
- Don't blindly trust email attachments: Most commonly, legitimate companies will ask you to log in to their website and to view any documents there; if you received an email with an attachment, it's a good idea to scan it with an antivirus application. Infected email attachments are a common attack vector used by cybercriminals.
To minimise the risk of opening phishing and malicious emails we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
Example of a spam email:
What to do if you fell for an email scam?
- If you clicked on a link in a phishing email and entered your password - be sure to change your password as soon as possible. Usually, cybercriminals collect stolen credentials and then sell them to other groups that use them for malicious purposes. If you change your password in a timely manner, there's a chance that criminals won't have enough time to do any damage.
- If you entered your credit card information - contact your bank as soon as possible and explain the situation. There's a good chance that you will need to cancel your compromised credit card and get a new one.
- If you see any signs of identity theft - you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission. This institution will collect information about your situation and create a personal recovery plan.
- If you opened a malicious attachment - your computer is probably infected, you should scan it with a reputable antivirus application. For this purpose, we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
- Help other Internet users - report phishing emails to Anti-Phishing Working Group, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, National Fraud Information Center and U.S. Department of Justice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why did I receive this email?
Phishing emails are often sent out in large numbers to random email addresses in the hope that some recipients will be fooled into divulging personal information. These letters are not personalized.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this email, what should I do?
If you have shared any login information, it is imperative that you update all of your passwords without delay.
I have downloaded and opened a malicious file attached to an email, is my computer infected?
It is possible that your computer has been infected with malware if you have downloaded and opened a malicious file attached to an email. Opening a malicious file can execute the malware and allow it to access your system. It is important to run a full virus scan and take appropriate measures to remove the malware and prevent further damage.
I have read the email but did not open the attachment, is my computer infected?
Merely opening an email does not pose a threat to your system. It is clicking on links or downloading attachments within the email that can result in a system infection.
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections that were present in email attachment?
While Combo Cleaner has the ability to detect and remove almost all known malware infections, it is important to note that advanced malware often conceals itself deeply within the system. Thus, running a full system scan is necessary to ensure that any potential threats are detected and eliminated.
Outstanding!
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