Gmail users are being urged to be vigilant and watch out for a new dangerous attack on their inboxes.
An alarming new alert from Gmail has just been issued, and it’s one you shouldn’t ignore. Cybersecurity experts at Check Point say they have identified a “massive” threat that is exploiting the popular Gmail platform to attempt to steal users’ personal data. The latest attack uses a variety of methods to trick people into downloading malicious attachments containing the dangerous Rhadamanthys Stealer bug.
How does this threat work and how can you protect yourself?
First, the attackers create fake Gmail accounts and start sending out emails posing as real companies. These messages claim that the user has violated the copyright of their personal social media profiles and then demand that the content be removed immediately.
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Instructions for removing the content are included with the message asking users to download the file.
If you fall for this trick, it will instantly activate the infection and install the latest version of the Rhadamanthys virus, which can then start spying on your computer and stealing extremely personal data.
“Check Point Research recently identified a large-scale phishing campaign using a new version of the infamous Rhadamanthys Stealer, a sophisticated malware designed to extract data from infected systems,” Check Point confirmed.
“The attackers masquerade as various legitimate companies, claiming that victims have infringed copyright on their personal Facebook pages. Using fake Gmail accounts that send emails on behalf of these well-known organizations, the email addresses and language are tailored to each target to notify the victim of the alleged copyright infringement.”
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The threat appears to be targeting users around the world, with messages being sent to people in Europe, Asia and the United States.
Check Point says one of the most disturbing aspects of this latest campaign is the sheer volume of fake emails that have been sent out.
It was also confirmed that 70% of the companies whose names were used were from the entertainment, media, technology and software industries.
So, if your inbox is flooded with copyright infringement messages, be careful before taking any action and do not download any attachments to your computer as you may be in for a nasty surprise.
Sourse: www.mirror.co.uk
