Abnormal Security Finds phishing emails Designed to Spoof Notification Messages from Microsoft Teams

Microsoft | May 04, 2020

  • Attackers are exploiting the surge in the use of Microsoft Teams in an attempt to trap unsuspecting users, says Abnormal Security.

  • Since Microsoft Teams is linked to Microsoft 365 and Office 365, any credentials stolen in the scam could be used to sign into other Microsoft accounts and services.

  • The landing pages that host the phishing pages were created to look just like the real Microsoft pages.


Cybercriminals have been taking advantage of virtually every aspect of the coronavirus to try to increase business. Among other consequences, the need to quarantine and work from home has triggered a surge in demand for virtual meeting and video chatting apps, including the business-oriented Microsoft Teams. A new phishing campaign discovered by security provider Abnormal Security is exploiting the greater use of Teams as a way to hijack Microsoft account credentials.

The first campaign started on April 14 and went on for two days but hasn't been since since, according to Kenneth Laio, vice president of Cybersecurity Strategy at Abnormal Security. The second campaign began on April 29, lasted a few hours, and has not been recorded since then. The phishing emails were sent to Abnormal customers in such industries as energy, retail, and hospitality, Laio said. However, the attacks weren't targeted to any specific company or industry and, in fact, were designed in a generic way so they could be launched against anyone.

The landing pages that host the phishing pages were created to look just like the real Microsoft pages. The images were copied from actual Microsoft notifications and emails, according to Abnormal Security. Plus, the sender email comes from a domain called "sharepointonline-irs.com," which may look legitimate at first glance, but is not registered either by Microsoft or the IRS.


Learn more: THE TIME HAS COME TO BRING IN AI, MACHINE LEARNING AND AUTOMATION IN CYBERSECURITY.
 

We would advise organizations and their employees to double-check the sender name and address for messages or notifications coming from Microsoft Teams.

~ Kenneth Laio, vice president Abnormal Security


The images can be especially convincing on a mobile device where they take up most of the content on the screen. Further, users who are accustomed to notifications from Microsoft and other vendors might fail to investigate the messages and simply take the bait. Since Microsoft Teams is linked to Microsoft 365 and Office 365, any credentials stolen in the scam could be used to sign into other Microsoft accounts and services. To help organizations defend themselves and their employees from these Microsoft Teams phishing scams, Laio offers two pieces of advice.

The phishing emails were sent to Abnormal customers in such industries as energy, retail, and hospitality, However, the attacks weren't targeted to any specific company or industry.

~ Laio said


"We would advise organizations and their employees to double-check the sender name and address for messages or notifications coming from Microsoft Teams," Laio said. "For both campaigns, the sender names are innocuous ('chat content' and 'work flow'), but the email addresses that they are sent from have no relation to Microsoft, Microsoft Teams, or the organization itself.


"In addition, we would advise everyone to always double check the web page's URL before signing in. Attackers will often hide malicious links in redirects or host them on separate websites that can be reached by safe links. This allows them to bypass link scanning within emails by traditional email security solutions.


Learn more: CORONAVIRUS MALWARE ROUNDUP: WATCH OUT FOR THESE SCAMS.
 

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Cyber Security & Cloud North America – New Line-Up Speakers Announced

TechEx Events Ltd | April 17, 2023

The Cyber Security & Cloud Congress North America (17-18th May) has announced exciting new additions to its line-up of speakers and panellists for the upcoming two-day event in Santa Clara. The event will take place on May 17th and 18th, 2023, and will feature a diverse range of tech industry experts, including CIOs, CTOs, Cyber Security, Cloud Architects, and other key players in the field. Attendees will have a great opportunity to hear from the most talented speakers including: Prasanna P., Digital Transformation Leader – Enterprise Architecture & Enterprise Strategy Leader – Molina Healthcare Shea Lovan, Chief Security Officer – UC Santa Barbara Sachin Vaidya, EVP Chief Information Officer of Heritage – Bank of Commerce Kishore Viswanathan, Senior Technical Program Manager, Cybersecurity and Compliance – Lucid Motors Sameh Emam, Division Risk Manager – Union Bank Kavitha Venkataswamy, Director – Digital Product Security – Capital One Richard Paz, CISM, Cyber Security Engineer – NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory & many more! In addition to these keynote speakers, the event will also feature several panel discussions covering a wide range of topics, including Zero Trust, Threat Detection & Response, Training, Talent & Culture, Identity & Access Management, Application Security, Data Security and more. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with other industry professionals and gain valuable insights into the latest trends and technologies shaping the cybersecurity and cloud technology landscape. The Cyber & Cloud Congress North America promises to be a knowledge-packed, innovative, and engaging event for all those interested in Cyber Security and Cloud technology, but also the newest technology solutions, products and services that will be showcased during the event. “We are thrilled to have such an outstanding group of speakers joining us for the Cyber & Cloud Expo,” said Lia Richards, Head of Conference. “With their diverse backgrounds and extensive experience, they will bring a wealth of knowledge and insights to our attendees. We look forward to hearing their perspectives on the most pressing issues facing the industry today”. WHAT ELSE TO EXPECT? Over the course of two days at Cyber Security & Cloud Congress North America attendees will have a great number of opportunities to visit exhibition stalls and connect with the representatives of some of the world’s biggest brands including IBM, IDC, Bosh, AWS, Zoho and many more, all implementing the latest in Cyber Security & Cloud technologies within their sectors. Paying attendees will also have a chance to join the networking party event following Day 1 of the conference, where all will be able to connect and network in a more relaxed setting, with free food and drinks provided. This opportunity is open for Gold and Ultimate Pass Holders, Speakers, Press, Sponsors, and Exhibitors. Find out more information here: https://www.cybersecuritycloudexpo.com/northamerica/networking-party/ Early-bird registration offering 25% discount of the full ticket price is open until 17th April, and interested attendees are encouraged to secure their tickets before the offer ends to avoid missing out on this exciting opportunity. Follow this link to discover ticket types and prices: https://www.cybersecuritycloudexpo.com/northamerica/ticket-types-and-prices/. About TechEx Events Ltd The TechEx Event portfolio is an international conference and tech showcasing cutting-edge tech innovation in enterprise. Featuring real-life use cases and in-depth industry insights, the event series delves into the AI, Big Data, Blockchain, Cyber Security, 5G, IoT and Edge Computing ecosystems. Running for over six years, our co-located events strengths lie within our expert community. We bring the heroes responsible for pushing game changing tech and strategy together, to craft relationships and creative solutions. We are the place where networking never stops – The one-stop-shop for enterprise innovators.

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