Malicious links sent via emails

Criminals are using a simple tactic to send malicious links, and it's working. They are embedding malicious links in images in emails. When the recipient opens the email, the image loads and the malicious link gets activated. It is a straightforward tactics to try and direct victims to phishing links - but the bad news is that it appears to be working. This can lead to malware infection, data theft, or other problems.

Usually, hackers would draft elaborate email trying to convince the victims to click on a link found at the bottom of the message. These emails would either tell the recipients they urgently needed to download an antivirus or cancel a pending transaction that will leave them broken, or something similar.

As per Check Point Harmony Emails have uncovered that some hackers are replacing all of that with a simple image. Instead of typing out a long email and risking being found out by typos or bad grammar, these attackers simply generate a promotional image - a flyer informing the recipients they have won a prize or are invited to participate in a some kind of competition.

The picture would then be hyperlinked and would direct the victims to a phishing page where they would give away sensitive information. Sometimes it’s just an email address, and sometimes it’s passwords, personally identifiable data that can be used in identity theft, and more.

Recipients with a keen eye would be able to quickly see through the fraud: all it takes is a hover of the mouse over the image for the hyperlink to appear. These links have nothing to do with the brands impersonated in the images, which is a clear red flag that a scam is afoot.

How this scam works is:

· Criminals create emails that appear to be from legitimate companies or organizations.

· The emails often contain urgent messages, such as a warning about a security breach or a notification that a package is waiting to be picked up.

· The emails may also contain links or attachments that, when clicked, install malware on the victim's computer.

· Once the malware is installed, it can steal personal information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, and Social Security numbers.

· The criminals can then use this information to commit identity theft or other crimes.

Advisory is, If you receive an email that seems suspicious, don't click on any links or open any attachments. Instead, forward the email to the company or organization that it appears to be from and ask if it's legitimate.