Lately, an email from Amazon has been hitting the inbox of unsuspecting users all over the world.
This email has been masqueraded as an order notification message from the famed marketplace Amazon.com.
In this email, recipients are thanked for placing the order at Amazon and they are informed that their order details can be viewed by opening the attached file.
No matter how compelled you may become to open this amazing email from Amazon.. never do so. It is a fraudulent email sent by attackers with malicious intentions and not by Amazon.
The attached .zip file also doesn’t contain the details of the order, as the email claims.
A screenshot of the Amazon email that comes with malware:
Once opened, the .zip file displays a .exe file and when or if the user runs this file, a Trojan is instantly installed on the computer system, reports Hoax Slayer.
Usually, such Trojans can steal personal and financial data such as login details of the user from the compromised device. The virus instantly transmits the data to hackers waiting online.
Hackers may also take complete control of the compromised computer.
Cyber criminals may be hoping to compromise at least a few computers through their latest venture since those who haven’t purchased anything from Amazon will panic and open the attached file.
Moreover, recent buyers from Amazon will also get tricked into opening the attached file thinking that some information about their order must be sent by Amazon.
This isn’t the first time Amazon’s name has been used by hackers in implementing malware attacks. In fact, using the names of credible sources of the Internet for buying and selling items has become a commonly adopted tactics for running malware and phishing campaigns.
