Fraudsters today kicked off a large-scale malware inundation by impersonating government body ASIC.
Beginning distribution at 9.43am today, it quickly escalated to become one of the largest-scale malware deliveries seen by MailGuard in the past 12 months.
The attack is delivered via email, apparently from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
It tells recipients their business name is due for renewal, and directs them to click a link to download their renewal notice.
But the attachment links to a .zip archive file, which contains a malicious JavaScript file.
While the exact type of malware isn’t clear – it could be anything from a virus to ransomware – the point of it is to disrupt, damage or gain control of a computer system or data.
What to look for
ASIC is regularly mimicked by cybercriminals. Similar scams targeted Australian inboxes in January, March and May.
MailGuard urges Australians to hesitate before clicking any type of attachment or link in an email if they’re uncertain of its legitimacy.
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