When a national or global news story breaks, readers appreciate having a trustworthy news outlet where they can get accurate, up-to-the-minute information. While most news outlets are committed to providing accurate information, it’s becoming increasingly hard thanks to the amount of cybercriminal activity that affects their sites.
Cybercriminals typically exploit stories published by major media outlets, but there have been instances of cybercriminals inventing breaking news related to high-profile events in order to spread malware. This month, the research team at Commtouch reported on cybercriminal exploitation for its “Commtouch Security Number of the Month,” a number that represents a current issue or trend in Internet security.
Commtouch reported that over the last three months, the average time between an actual news event and its exploitation hovered around 22 hours. The company determined this data by continually analyzing malicious campaigns that exploit breaking news using the CNN name and other prominent news outlets to lure email recipients to malicious sites.
The most recent example is the focus on Syria throughout the month of September. Commtouch reported that malware distributors invented fake news to exploit public interest in the possibility of a U.S. airstrike against Syria. The emails used the subject line, “The United States Began Bombing,” and were crafted to appear as a CNN news alert. This is only one instance of the cybercriminal community taking advantage of interest and anxiousness about current events to achieve their end goal.
Commtouch also reported on current events that happened before Syria and revealed that the average phishing time was already quickening. In March 2013, when the new Pope was elected, the first malware attacks began after 55 hours. A month later, after the Boston Marathon bombing, it took 27 hours to see the first related attacks exploiting interest in the event. Further examples include the birth of the royal baby and news about Edward Snowden.
These examples are only a few of the most notable malware-prone events in recent months, but it is a testament to the fact that spammers aren’t just waiting around for news—they’re creating it themselves.
For more information on Commtouch and its Security Number of the month, please visit www.commtouch.com
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