Microsoft 365 users are being warned to look out for sextortion scams that are exploiting a vulnerability in the Microsoft 365 Admin Portal. By sending messages and notifications from the Microsoft 365 Message Centre, that come from ‘o365mc(at)Microsoft(dot)com’, the emails are treated as safe by some email security services, including Microsoft.
Fortunately, MailGuard is a global specialist in zero zero-day email security, and our advanced, proprietary filter network is stopping the scam. Our real-time zero zero-day, email threat detection amplifies our client’s intelligence, knowledge, security and defence.
Here’s an example of the email below:
Sextortion scams are not new; however, this technique has caught Admins and some email users off guard, with a spate of new attacks bypassing security measures and reaching inboxes. Users have taken to Microsoft forums and social media to share their concerns.
MailGuard security engineers remarked that the scam is particularly pervasive due to its simplicity. Scammers seem to have access to a database of compromised user email addresses, names and dates of birth, which is being targeted. Our team speculate that a tool has been created to automate the sending of the campaign via a Microsoft tenancy that has been created solely for the purposes of the scam, or otherwise from a compromised account, exploiting the Microsoft 365 Message Centre vulnerability.
The apparent success of the scam demonstrates the importance for businesses to employ an additional layer of specialist email security, like MailGuard, to enhance their native Microsoft 365 security.
MailGuard advises all recipients of the emails to delete them immediately without clicking on any links. Responding or providing your personal details can result in your sensitive information being used for criminal activity and may have a severe negative impact on your business and its’ financial well-being.
MailGuard urges users not to click links or open attachments within emails that:
- Are not addressed to you by name.
- Appear to be from a legitimate company but use poor English or omits personal details that a legitimate sender would include.
- Are from businesses that you were not expecting to hear from, and/or
- Take you to a landing page or website that is not the legitimate URL of the company the email is purporting to be sent from.
- Many businesses turn to MailGuard after an incident or a near miss, often as a result of an email similar to the one shown above. If unwanted emails are a problem for your business, don’t wait until it’s too late.
Reach out to our team for a confidential discussion by emailing expert@mailguard.com.au or calling 1300 30 44 30.
One email is all that it takes
All that it takes to devastate your business is a cleverly worded email message that can steal sensitive user credentials or disrupt your business operations. If scammers can trick one person in your company into clicking on a malicious link or attachment, they can gain access to your data or inflict damage on your business.
For a few dollars per staff member per month, you can protect your business with MailGuard's specialist, zero zero-day email security. Special Ops for when speed matters! Our real-time zero zero-day, email threat detection amplifies our client’s intelligence, knowledge, security and defence. Talk to a solution consultant at MailGuard today about securing your company's inboxes.
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