Avoid losing your email via "Web Access for the 2022 version" phishing email
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
What is the "Web Access for the 2022 version" email?
After analyzing the "Web Access for the 2022 version" email, our researchers determined that it is a phishing scam. This letter attempts to trick recipients into providing their email account log-in credentials to a phishing website, thereby allowing the scammers access/control over the account.
"Web Access for the 2022 version" email scam overview
The spam email with the subject "2022 WEB ACCESS NOTICATION" (may vary) informs the recipient that their inbox has to be updated. Should the user fail to comply, their email account will be blocked. To avoid this, the letter urges to implement the updates immediately.
It must be emphasized that these claims are false, and by attempting to update their account - users will be redirected to a phishing website. This page is disguised as an email sign-in page, and all the credentials (i.e., usernames/passwords) entered into it - will be exposed to the scammers.
Cyber criminals target emails as they are usually connected to (e.g., used to register) other accounts. Therefore, through a stolen email - control might be gained over associated content.
To elaborate, scammers can use communication accounts (e.g., social networking/media, emails, messengers, etc.) to ask contacts for loans or to proliferate malware - under the guise of the genuine owner. Finance-related accounts (e.g., online banking, e-commerce, etc.) can be used to make fraudulent transactions and online purchases.
To summarize, by trusting the "Web Access for the 2022 version" spam email, users can experience severe privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft.
| Name | Web Access for the 2022 version phishing email |
| Threat Type | Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud |
| Fake Claim | Email account needs to be updated |
| Related Domains | 3ponto7.com[.]br |
| Detection Names (3ponto7.com[.]br) | Combo Cleaner (Malware), Comodo Valkyrie Verdict (Malicious), CRDF (Malicious), Fortinet (Malware), Kaspersky (Phishing), Full List Of Detections (VirusTotal) |
| Symptoms | Unauthorized online purchases, changed online account passwords, identity theft, illegal access of the computer. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive emails, rogue online pop-up ads, search engine poisoning techniques, misspelled domains. |
| Damage | Loss of sensitive private information, monetary loss, identity theft. |
| Malware Removal (Windows) | To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your computer with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. |
Phishing email examples
We have analyzed thousands of spam emails; "You have sent the payment - PayPal", "You have received an encrypted message", and "Update required to avoid login interruption" are just a few examples of those similar to "Web Access for the 2022 version".
Spam mail can be meticulously crafted with little to no difference from the legitimate messages they mimic. In addition to phishing and various scams, these emails are also used to distribute malware (e.g., ransomware, trojans, etc.).
How do spam campaigns infect computers?
Spam emails can contain infectious files as attachments or download links. These files can be archives, executables, Microsoft Office and PDF documents, JavaScript, etc. When the files are opened - malware download/installation processes are triggered.
For example, Microsoft Office documents infect systems by executing malicious macro commands. This occurs the moment a document is opened in pre-2010 Microsoft Office versions. Newer versions have "Protected View" mode that prevents this from happening immediately; instead, users can manually enable macros (i.e., editing/content). Note that malicious documents often contain deceptive messages to trick users into enabling macro commands.
How to avoid installation of malware?
We strongly advise to exercise caution with incoming emails and messages. The attachments and links found in dubious mail - must not be opened, as doing so can result in a system infection. Additionally, we recommend using Microsoft Office versions released after 2010.
Malware is not spread exclusively via spam mail. Therefore, we also advise using official and verified download sources. Furthermore, all programs must be activated and updated with tools provided by legitimate developers, as those obtained from third-parties can contain malicious software.
It is crucial to have a reputable anti-virus installed and kept up-to-date. Security programs must be used to perform regular system scans and to remove detected threats. If you've already opened malicious attachments, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows to automatically eliminate infiltrated malware.
Text presented in the "Web Access for the 2022 version" spam email letter:
Subject: 2022 WEB ACCESS NOTICATION
[***********] UPDATE
User: ***********
We are updating all mailboxes to new Web Access for the 2022 version.
To avoid having your account disabled, please visit WEB ACCESS to update your account as soon as possible:
Sincerely,
*********** Web Access
Review
This is a mandatory webmail service sent to ***********@***********
Screenshot of the phishing website promoted by the "Web Access for the 2022 version" spam campaign:
Another example of "Web Access For The 2022 Version" scam email:
Text presented within:
Subject: Final Notice: You're about to lose your domains
- UPDATE
User: -
We are updating all mailboxes to new Web Access for the 2022 version.
To avoid having your account disabled, please visit WEB ACCESS to update your account as soon as possible:Review your session authentication here to retrieve the hanging email.
WEB ACCESS
- Copyright 2022 Mail support. All rights reserved
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Quick menu:
- What is Web Access for the 2022 version phishing email?
- Types of malicious emails.
- How to spot a malicious email?
- What to do if you fell for an email scam?
Types of malicious emails:
Phishing Emails
Most commonly, cybercriminals use deceptive emails to trick Internet users into giving away their sensitive private information, for example, login information for various online services, email accounts, or online banking information.
Such attacks are called phishing. In a phishing attack, cybercriminals usually send an email message with some popular service logo (for example, Microsoft, DHL, Amazon, Netflix), create urgency (wrong shipping address, expired password, etc.), and place a link which they hope their potential victims will click on.
After clicking the link presented in such email message, victims are redirected to a fake website that looks identical or extremely similar to the original one. Victims are then asked to enter their password, credit card details, or some other information that gets stolen by cybercriminals.
Emails with Malicious Attachments
Another popular attack vector is email spam with malicious attachments that infect users' computers with malware. Malicious attachments usually carry trojans that are capable of stealing passwords, banking information, and other sensitive information.
In such attacks, cybercriminals' main goal is to trick their potential victims into opening an infected email attachment. To achieve this goal, email messages usually talk about recently received invoices, faxes, or voice messages.
If a potential victim falls for the lure and opens the attachment, their computers get infected, and cybercriminals can collect a lot of sensitive information.
While it's a more complicated method to steal personal information (spam filters and antivirus programs usually detect such attempts), if successful, cybercriminals can get a much wider array of data and can collect information for a long period of time.
Sextortion Emails
This is a type of phishing. In this case, users receive an email claiming that a cybercriminal could access the webcam of the potential victim and has a video recording of one's masturbation.
To get rid of the video, victims are asked to pay a ransom (usually using Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency). Nevertheless, all of these claims are false - users who receive such emails should ignore and delete them.
How to spot a malicious email?
While cyber criminals try to make their lure emails look trustworthy, here are some things that you should look for when trying to spot a phishing email:
- Check the sender's ("from") email address: Hover your mouse over the "from" address and check if it's legitimate. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft, be sure to check if the email address is @microsoft.com and not something suspicious like @m1crosoft.com, @microsfot.com, @account-security-noreply.com, etc.
- Check for generic greetings: If the greeting in the email is "Dear user", "Dear @youremail.com", "Dear valued customer", this should raise suspiciousness. Most commonly, companies call you by your name. Lack of this information could signal a phishing attempt.
- Check the links in the email: Hover your mouse over the link presented in the email, if the link that appears seems suspicious, don't click it. For example, if you received an email from Microsoft and the link in the email shows that it will go to firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0... you shouldn't trust it. It's best not to click any links in the emails but to visit the company website that sent you the email in the first place.
- Don't blindly trust email attachments: Most commonly, legitimate companies will ask you to log in to their website and to view any documents there; if you received an email with an attachment, it's a good idea to scan it with an antivirus application. Infected email attachments are a common attack vector used by cybercriminals.
To minimise the risk of opening phishing and malicious emails we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
Example of a spam email:
What to do if you fell for an email scam?
- If you clicked on a link in a phishing email and entered your password - be sure to change your password as soon as possible. Usually, cybercriminals collect stolen credentials and then sell them to other groups that use them for malicious purposes. If you change your password in a timely manner, there's a chance that criminals won't have enough time to do any damage.
- If you entered your credit card information - contact your bank as soon as possible and explain the situation. There's a good chance that you will need to cancel your compromised credit card and get a new one.
- If you see any signs of identity theft - you should immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission. This institution will collect information about your situation and create a personal recovery plan.
- If you opened a malicious attachment - your computer is probably infected, you should scan it with a reputable antivirus application. For this purpose, we recommend using Combo Cleaner Antivirus for Windows.
- Help other Internet users - report phishing emails to Anti-Phishing Working Group, FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, National Fraud Information Center and U.S. Department of Justice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why did I receive this email?
Spam emails are not personal. Thousands of users receive the same letter.
I have provided my personal information when tricked by this spam email, what should I do?
If you entered your account credentials - immediately change the passwords of all potentially exposed accounts and inform their official support. And if you have also disclosed other private information (e.g., ID card details, credit card numbers, etc.) - contact the corresponding authorities without delay.
I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?
No, merely opening a spam email will not trigger any system infection processes. In the case of spam mail, malware infiltrates systems through attachments and links. The former initiate infection chains upon being opened, while the latter - lead to malicious websites capable of stealthily downloading/installing malware or designed to trick users into doing so themselves.
I have downloaded and opened a file attached to a spam email, is my computer infected?
If it was an executable (.exe, .run, etc.) - most likely, yes. However, you might have avoided triggering an infection - if it was a document (.doc, .xls, .pdf, etc.). Document formats may require additional user interaction (e.g., enabling macro commands) to initiate malware download/installation processes.
Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?
Yes, Combo Cleaner can detect and eliminate most of the known malware infections. It is noteworthy that sophisticated malicious programs usually hide deep within systems - therefore, running a full system scan is paramount.
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