Windows computers vulnerable to Dridex

[Peterj]

Copied from   www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/dridex-and-how-overcome-it
"The attack works this way – the victim gets an email with a Microsoft Word or Excel document attached. The document includes a payload that downloads malware called 'Dridex', which is designed to target online banking information. The attacks lure the victims to open the attachment by using the names of legitimate companies located in the U.K. Some of the emails refer to an 'attached invoice' by stating it comes from a software company, online retailer or bank."

United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-Cert) alert ... www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA15-286A

[Tpgettys]

Thanks for sharing that information Peter. It says that all antivirus softwares are able to detect Dridex, so that is good news!

[Squirrel2014]

Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

I've always understood the advice is to NEVER open attachments from anyone unless you're expecting it. Organisations rarely send attachments and, if they do, are usually in pdf format, not in Word or Excel. Hence, an unexpected attachment in Word or Excel would certainly ring warning bells to me.

[Sydney]

It's scary how sophisticated the ways to hack into ones computer are becoming

[Andy]

Oct 13, 2015 20:56:44 GMT Squirrel2014 said:

Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

I've always understood the advice is to NEVER open attachments from anyone unless you're expecting it. Organisations rarely send attachments and, if they do, are usually in pdf format, not in Word or Excel. Hence, an unexpected attachment in Word or Excel would certainly ring warning bells to me.

That is absolutely the right answer.  Avoid opening attachments in emails, especially if you can't verify the sender.

[Peterj]

Avoid opening attachments in emails, especially if you can't verify the sender.

Even if you know the sender, you can't be certain who actually sent the email

[Squirrel2014]

Oct 15, 2015 14:14:27 GMT Peterj said:

Avoid opening attachments in emails, especially if you can't verify the sender.

Even if you know the sender, you can't be certain who actually sent the email

Yes, definitely.  It's not uncommon to get emails that look as if from someone you know, with only a link in the message body.  If you are not expecting anything in the way of a link from this 'known' sender, avoid clicking on it.  What you can do is to hover your cursor over the link and you should be able to see the web address that link will take you to somewhere on your email page.

If you are expecting your friend to be sending such a link and it's exactly as you would expect, including hovering your cursor over the link to check the web address, then you should be OK.  Having said that, it's not good practice to send only a link to anyone without a message, for the reason that the recipient has more confidence that it's OK.

[Madame]

I just got this. I didn't know the sender, nor the ohter recipients.
Creepy!

I googled the sender. It seems to be an elderly lady. Hope she's not in any trouble!