Illegally downloading television shows and movies from torrent websites is done all the time. Not surprisingly, the HBO series, “Game of Thrones” is the #1 downloaded.
Threat: Hackers are taking advantage of this fact by sending emails that look like a notice from IP-Echelon, which is the company that enforces copyright claims for companies such as HBO. The twist in this case is that the email looks like it is directly from their own current Internet Service Provider.
The phishing attack is a fake violation notice that IP-Echelon has determined that the person receiving the notice has illegally downloaded “Game of Thrones” or other copyright protected entertainment and that unless they pay a settlement within 72 hours, the matter will be turned over to their attorneys.
Risk: The victim is being directed to a website where they can pay up. People falling for this social engineering tactic end up paying to a cybercriminal.
Actions You Can Take: Sounds simple but, don’t click on links in emails that you aren’t expecting. Typically any legal notice will be sent through certified mail. So, how do you avoid the next one ?
BMT’s Cyber Security Awareness Training Program will prepare your staff to avoid these kind of attacks and others. Contact us today for more info.
