"Urgent: Threat Actor...": Fake Hacking Warnings Sent From Secure FBI Server
Some of the emails, sent in the name of the Homeland Security cyber threat detection group, were headlined: "Urgent: threat actor in systems."
Fake emails purportedly from the US Department of Homeland Security warning of cyberattacks were sent out Saturday from a secure FBI computer server, computer security experts said.
The FBI confirmed independent security group Spamhaus's report that a large number of fake emails were sent in two waves early Saturday from an address on the government's Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal, which is used by multiple government agencies.
Some of the emails, sent in the name of the Homeland Security cyber threat detection group, were headlined: "Urgent: threat actor in systems."
They warned recipients that they were the target of a "sophisticated" hacking attack from a known extortion gang, according to Spamhaus.
Independent cyber security expert Brian Krebs said he, too, had received a fake email from the FBI address, though with a different message.
In a statement, the FBI and the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency confirmed the incident, without offering details.
"The FBI and CISA are aware of the incident this morning involving fake emails from an @ic.fbi.gov email account," they said in a statement.
"This is an ongoing situation and we are not able to provide any additional information at this time. The impacted hardware was taken offline quickly upon discovery of the issue. We continue to encourage the public to be cautious of unknown senders and urge you to report suspicious activity," it added.
There was no indication of how the emails were sent -- whether by someone using legitimate access to the server or a hacker from outside.
The FBI confirmed independent security group Spamhaus's report that a large number of fake emails were sent in two waves early Saturday from an address on the government's Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal, which is used by multiple government agencies.
Some of the emails, sent in the name of the Homeland Security cyber threat detection group, were headlined: "Urgent: threat actor in systems."
They warned recipients that they were the target of a "sophisticated" hacking attack from a known extortion gang, according to Spamhaus.
Independent cyber security expert Brian Krebs said he, too, had received a fake email from the FBI address, though with a different message.
In a statement, the FBI and the DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency confirmed the incident, without offering details.
"The FBI and CISA are aware of the incident this morning involving fake emails from an @ic.fbi.gov email account," they said in a statement.
"This is an ongoing situation and we are not able to provide any additional information at this time. The impacted hardware was taken offline quickly upon discovery of the issue. We continue to encourage the public to be cautious of unknown senders and urge you to report suspicious activity," it added.
There was no indication of how the emails were sent -- whether by someone using legitimate access to the server or a hacker from outside.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
