--- title: Towerwall Information Security Alert Vol 13.50 - Making phishing more complex - on purpose description: Towerwall Information Security Alert Vol 13.50 - Making phishing more complex - on purpose --- [![TowerWall](https://blog.towerwall.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Towerwall_July2021/images/head-logo-2.svg "TowerWall")](https://towerwall.com/) [![TowerWall](https://blog.towerwall.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Towerwall_July2021/images/towerwall-logo-white-test.svg "TowerWall")](https://towerwall.com/) - [Our Partners](https://towerwall.com/how-we-protect-you/our-technology-partners/) - Our Solutions - - Our Cybersecurity Solutions - We operationalize infosec, building security solutions that safeguard your most critical assets. - - [Solutions Overview](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/) - [Risk Assessments & Security Reviews](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/risk-assessments-security-reviews/) - [Program & Policy Development](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/program-policy-development/) - [Incident Response & Remediation](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/incident-response-remediation/) - [Managed Detection & Response](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/managed-detection-response/) - - [Compliance & Privacy](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/compliance-privacy/) - [Comprehensive Security Training](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/comprehensive-security-training/) - [Vulnerability Protection](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/vulnerability-protection/) - [Penetration Testing](https://towerwall.com/cybersecurity-solutions/penetration-testing/) - Virtual Security Officers - - Virtual Security Officer - Leverage the experience and security acumen of Towerwall’s on-demand security experts. - - [Virtual Chief Information Security Officer (VCISO)](https://towerwall.com/virtual-security-officers/virtual-chief-information-security-officer-vciso/) - [Virtual Data Protection Officer (vDPO)](https://towerwall.com/virtual-security-officers/virtual-data-protection-officer-vdpo/) - [Virtual Chief Privacy Officer (vCPO)](https://towerwall.com/virtual-security-officers/virtual-chief-privacy-officer-vcpo/) - We Advise - - We Advise - One-size security solutions only lead to failure. - Industries - [Higher Education](https://towerwall.com/industries/higher-education/) - [Financial Services & Banking](https://towerwall.com/industries/financial-services-banking/) - [Healthcare](https://towerwall.com/industries/healthcare/) - [BioPharma & Bio-Therapeutics](https://towerwall.com/industries/biopharma-bio-therapeutics/) - [Retail](https://towerwall.com/industries/retail/) - [Government](https://towerwall.com/industries/government/) - [Catholic Diocese](https://towerwall.com/industries/catholic-diocese-cybersecurity/) - [Cannabis](https://towerwall.com/industries/cannabis/) - [Small Business](https://towerwall.com/industries/small-business/) - [Enterprise](https://towerwall.com/industries/enterprise/) - Trends & Threats - [Remote Workforce](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/remote-workforce/) - [Vendor Questionnaire](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/vendor-questionnaire/) - [HIPAA](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/hipaa/) - [Ransomware](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/ransomware/) - [GDPR](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/gdpr/) - [Cloud Security](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/cloud-security/) - [Phishing](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/phishing/) - [Cybersecurity Insurance](https://towerwall.com/trends-threats/cybersecurity-insurance/) - [Resources](https://towerwall.com/resources/) - - Resources - Our latest insights, events, and tools to keep you safe. - - [Insights](https://towerwall.com/resources/?resources_category=MTU%3D&focusarea=0&industries=0&search=) - [Webinars](https://towerwall.com/resources/?resources_category=MTg%3D&focusarea=0&industries=0&search=) - [Whitepapers](https://towerwall.com/resources/?resources_category=MTY%3D&focusarea=0&industries=0&search=) - [View All](https://towerwall.com/resources/) - [Company](https://towerwall.com/company/) - - Our Company - We are the industry’s leading cybersecurity preparedness partner. - - [Who We Are](https://towerwall.com/company/) - [Our Team](https://towerwall.com/company/our-team/) - [Our Approach](https://towerwall.com/our-approach/) - [Our Values](https://towerwall.com/company/our-values/) - - [Awards & Recognition](https://towerwall.com/company/awards-recognition/) - [Certifications & Affiliations](https://towerwall.com/company/certifications-affiliations/) - [Community Involvement](https://towerwall.com/company/community-involvement/) - [Careers](https://towerwall.com/company/careers/) - [Contact Us](https://towerwall.com/company/contact-us/) Topics Data Security, Security Regulations, Security Threat, Phishing, Security Program, Security, Hackers, cyber-attack, security policy, cybercriminals, Security Alert, security research, cybersecurity, Data Breach # Towerwall Information Security Alert Vol 13.50 - Making phishing more complex - on purpose [By Michelle Drolet](https://blog.towerwall.com/author/towerwall2020) [Read More](https://blog.towerwall.com/author/towerwall2020) 1 Minute Read October 25, 2013 [![postpay](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png)](http://www.towerwall.com/2013/10/25/towerwall-information-security-alert-vol-13-50-making-phishing-complex-purpose/postpay/) Earlier this week a colleague pointed out an intriguing phishing sample that he had come across. It was interesting not because of any great sophistication or complexity, but rather that it illustrated the reuse of an old social engineering trick. The brand being targeted in the phish campaign is Poste Italiane, a well-known Italian group that includes financial and payment services in its product portfolio. We see numerous phishing attacks targeting this group each month, with attackers keen to trick their customers into unwittingly submitting their credentials to fake login sites. This latest attack takes a similar strategy to many recent phish campaigns, where the email contains a HTML attachment which the recipient is enticed into opening. [![emailthread](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png)](http://www.towerwall.com/2013/10/25/towerwall-information-security-alert-vol-13-50-making-phishing-complex-purpose/emailthread/) **From:** "Poste Italiane S.p.A - Informazioni" **Attachment:** scarica.html **The typical social engineering to entice the user into opening the attachment is evident:** To activate the "Security web Postepay " you need to: - Download the attachment, open it in the browser and follow the steps requested. **Curiously, there is reference to some password protection within the attachment, and a password is provided in the message body:** To protect your personal information, the attached file is protected by a password. Your word is unique: A2345L90 **Sure enough, recipients tricked into opening the HTML attachment will be prompted for a password:** [![java](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png)](http://www.towerwall.com/2013/10/25/towerwall-information-security-alert-vol-13-50-making-phishing-complex-purpose/java/) Inspecting the HTML attachment reveals the code behind this - simple JavaScript to prompt the user for a password, which is then used to decode a string: [![code1](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png)](http://www.towerwall.com/2013/10/25/towerwall-information-security-alert-vol-13-50-making-phishing-complex-purpose/code1/) If the recipient types in the correct password (A2345L90 in this example), the string is decrypted and written back to the page: [![code2](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png)](http://www.towerwall.com/2013/10/25/towerwall-information-security-alert-vol-13-50-making-phishing-complex-purpose/code2/) This then loads the phish page via the frame, which references a bit.ly shortened URL: [![post 3](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png)](http://www.towerwall.com/2013/10/25/towerwall-information-security-alert-vol-13-50-making-phishing-complex-purpose/post-3/) This article was originally published by Fraser Howard who is one of the Principal Virus Researchers in SophosLabs. #### Towerwall Information Security Alert Vol 13.50 - Making phishing more complex - on purpose Back to Top ## Related Insights ### [Data Privacy Alert Vol 13.81 – Massive breach at health care company Anthem Inc.](https://blog.towerwall.com/towerwall-data-privacy-alert-vol-13-81-massive-breach-health-care-company-anthem) Data Security, Security Regulations, Security Threat, Phishing, Security Program, Security, Hackers, cyber-attack, security policy, cybercriminals, Security Alert, security research, cybersecurity, Data Breach ### [Towerwall Information Security/Malware Alert Vol 13.67 - Notorious "Gameover" malware gets itself a kernel-mode rootkit...](https://blog.towerwall.com/towerwall-information-securitymalware-alert-vol-13-67-notorious-gameover-malware-kernel-mode-rootkit) Data Security, Security Regulations, Security Threat, Phishing, Security Program, Security, Hackers, cyber-attack, security policy, cybercriminals, Security Alert, security research, cybersecurity, Data Breach [View All Insights](https://blog.towerwall.com) × ## Talk with us now about: #### Your security needs. - ![Phone](https://blog.towerwall.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Towerwall_July2021/images/phone-icon.svg "Phone") [Call 774.204.0700](tel:774.204.0700) - ![Mail](https://blog.towerwall.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Towerwall_July2021/images/mail-icon.svg "Mail") [Email Us](mailto:info@towerwall.com) ### The front line of cybersecurity.™ For over 23 years, Towerwall, a woman-owned business, has helped scores of companies safeguard their data and leverage their investment in IT with advanced information security technology solutions and services. Our experience in all facets of information security coupled with serving in the CIO/CISO/ISO roles provides a unique first-hand understanding of the security challenges organizations face daily. ### Connect - - - - - [Career Opportunities](https://towerwall.com/company/careers/) - [Contact Us](https://towerwall.com/company/contact-us/) © Towerwall, Inc. and its licensees. All rights reserved [Privacy Policy](http://towerwall.com/privacy-policy/) Sitemap [Created by Howbridge](https://meethowbridge.com/) [![Towerwall](https://blog.towerwall.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Towerwall_July2021/images/footer-logo.svg "Towerwall")](https://towerwall.com/)