MailGuard has intercepted a new email scam pretending to originate from CPA Australia.
The message instructs recipients to open an attached ‘invoice’; an attachment in Word .doc format.
Scammers deliver malware via macros hidden in the structure of .doc files like this. The macro will operate in the background when the recipient opens the .doc file, activating a trojan or similar malware that is designed to hijack the victim’s computer.
As you can see in the screenshot (above) this message is exploiting the ‘CPA Australia’ name but CPA Australia actually have no control over these messages hitting people’s inboxes. The messages are being sent from ‘cpaaustraliaa[dot]com - a bogus domain registered yesterday in China.
‘Brandjacking’ - the exploitation of trusted names - is a common ploy used by cybercriminals to deceitfully gain the trust of their intended victims. The public’s confidence in organisations like CPA Australia makes them attractive for scammers to exploit.
MailGuard has prevented this email scam from attacking our client’s inboxes. But if you are not a MailGuard customer, please keep an eye open for these messages today.
Protect Your Inbox
Email-borne malware attacks can be enormously costly and destructive, and new scams are appearing every day. Don’t wait until it happens to your business; take action to protect your company from financial and reputational damage, now.
Effective cybersecurity requires a multi-layered strategy. For a few dollars per staff member per month, add MailGuard's cloud-based email and web filtering protection. You’ll significantly reduce the risk of malicious email entering your network. Talk to an expert at MailGuard today about your company's cybersecurity needs: 1300 30 44 30
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