Issued to:
John Smith
John Smith Construction Co., Inc
712-555-4596
SUBPOENA IN A CIVIL CASE
Case number:
29-809-RYM
Origins: On 14 April 2008, Internet users began receiving messages like the one reproduced above, e-mails purporting to be subpoenas commanding the recipients to appear before a grand jury in a U.S. District Court. The messages were a phishing scheme that targeted business executives (a tactic known as "whaling") and attempted to lure recipients into downloading and installing software that recorded their keystrokes and allowed their computers to be controlled remotely.
The U.S. Courts system is already aware of this scheme and has posted an advisory alert on its web site:
Notice: Invalid Subpoenas
Reports have been received of bogus e-mail grand jury subpoenas, purportedly sent by a United States District Court. The e-mails are not a valid communication from a federal court and may contain harmful links. Recipients are warned not to open any links or download any information relating to this e-mail notice. The emails were sent from a uscourts.com address. The federal Judiciary's email address is uscourts.gov. Law enforcement authorities have been notified.
Last updated: 5 May 2008
Sources:
Chapman, Glenn. "Hackers Harpoon US Executives with Phony Email Subpoenas."
Agence France Presse. 5 May 2008.
Markoff, John. "Larger Prey Are Targets of Phishing."
Sources: