Avoid losing your email account via fake "Server Warning" emails

What kind of email is "Server Warning"?

"Server Warning" is a phishing email that seeks to trick recipients into disclosing their account log-in credentials. The fake claim used is a mandatory email authentication, failing which will result in the account/domain getting blocked.

"Server Warning" email scam overview

The spam email with the subject "E-mail server [recipient's_email_address] is pending some messages" (may vary) is presented as a server report and warning.

The recipient's email has pending messages that have not reached the inbox. This fake letter urges to authenticate the account and access the withheld emails. The authentication process must be completed within 12 hours, else the domain will be blocked.

It must be emphasized that all the information provided by this letter is false, and this mail is in no way associated with any legitimate service providers or other entities.

After the "Authenticate Email" button is clicked, the recipient is redirected to a phishing website imitating their email sign-in page. Despite its relatively legitimate appearance, the webpage is fake. It is designed to record entered data (i.e., email password) and send it to scammers.

The loss can exceed that of an email account, as the content registered through it may be stolen as well. To expand upon the potential misuse, cyber criminals can steal the identities of socially-oriented account owners (e.g., emails, social networking, social media, messengers, etc.) and ask the contacts/friends/followers for loans or donations, promote scams, and proliferate malware by sharing malicious files or links.

Furthermore, hijacked finance-related accounts (e.g., online banking, money transferring, e-commerce, cryptocurrency wallets, etc.) can be used to facilitate fraudulent transactions and online purchases.

To summarize, victims of scam mail like "Server Warning" can experience severe privacy issues, financial losses, and even identity theft.

If you have provided your log-in credentials – immediately change the passwords of all potentially exposed accounts and inform their official support.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Server Warning" phishing email
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Social Engineering, Fraud
Fake Claim	Email account has pending messages and requires authentication.
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. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. 7 days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Phishing spam campaign examples

"INTERNATIONALE SPANISCHE ONLINE-LOTTERIE", "Aknowledged Response", "American Express Account Confirmation", and "Funds For Transfer" are just some examples of phishing emails we have examined recently. These letters primarily target log-in credentials, personally identifiable details, and finance-related information.

However, spam is used to promote various scams and even to distribute malware. These emails can also be competently disguised as messages from legitimate service providers, companies, institutions, authorities, and other entities.

Due to how prevalent spam mail is and how well-crafted it can be – we strongly recommend caution with incoming emails, PMs/DMs, SMSes, and other messages.

How do spam campaigns infect computers?

The use of spam campaigns in malware distribution is common. Deceptive emails/messages can include malicious files as attachments or download links. These files can be archives (ZIP, RAR, etc.), executables (.exe, .run, etc.), documents (PDF, Microsoft Office, Microsoft OneNote, etc.), JavaScript, and so forth.

When an infectious file is executed, run, or otherwise opened – the malware downloads/installation chain is initiated. However, some formats can require additional actions to jumpstart system infection processes. For example, Microsoft Office files need users to enable macro commands (i.e., editing/content), while OneNote documents require them to click embedded links or files.

How to avoid installation of malware?

We highly recommend being careful with incoming emails and other messages. Attachments or links present in suspect/irrelevant mail must not be opened, as they can be virulent. Another recommendation is to use Microsoft Office versions released after 2010 since their "Protected View" mode prevents automatic macro execution.

It is pertinent to mention that malware is not spread only through spam mail. Therefore, we also advise downloading only from official/verified channels. Additionally, all programs must be activated and updated using genuine functions/tools, as illegal activation tools ("cracks") and third-party updates can contain malware.

It is essential to exercise caution while browsing since fraudulent and dangerous online content usually appears legitimate and harmless.

We must stress the importance of having a dependable anti-virus installed and kept up-to-date. This software must be used to run regular system scans and to remove threats and issues. 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 "Server Warning" spam email letter:

Subject: E-mail server ******** is pending some messages

Server Report for ********
   
Server Warning For ********

Email Authentication

E-mail server ******** is pending some messages

Kindly AUTHENTICATE your ******** account to access on hold messages.

    
Authentication expires after 12 hours  and your domain ******** will be blocked from connecting the cpanel.

    
Authenticate Email

The system generated this notice on October UTC.
Do not reply to this automated message.

Copyright © 2023 cPanel, L.L.C.

Screenshot of the phishing website promoted by the "Server Warning" spam campaign:

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Quick menu:

• What is "Server Warning" 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. They are distributed in massive operations – hence, thousands of users receive identical ones.

I have provided my personal information when tricked by this spam email, what should I do?

If you have provided your account credentials – change the passwords of all possibly compromised accounts and inform their official support without delay. However, if the disclosed information was of a different personal nature (e.g., ID card details, passport scans, credit card numbers, etc.) – immediately contact relevant authorities.

I have read a spam email but didn't open the attachment, is my computer infected?

Opening/Reading an email is harmless; devices are infected when malicious attachments or links are opened.

I have downloaded and opened a file attached to a spam email, is my computer infected?

If the opened file was an executable (.exe, .run, etc.) – most likely, yes – your device was infected. You might have avoided triggering an infection if it was a document (.doc, .one, .xls, .pdf, etc.). These formats may need additional user interaction to begin malware download/installation processes (e.g., enabling macros, clicking embedded content, etc.).

Will Combo Cleaner remove malware infections present in email attachments?

Yes, Combo Cleaner can scan systems and remove all manner of threats. It is capable of detecting and eliminating most of the known malware infections. It is noteworthy that since high-end malicious software usually hides deep within systems – performing a complete system scan is paramount.

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