IT at UNSW - IT Security

"Confirm Your Unsw Webmail Account" Hoax Emails

Issue
The IT Service Centre has received a number of reports of emails falsely claiming to be sent by [sender label varies]@UNSW. These e-mails attempt to scam the user into surrendering personal information such as their UniPass password such as the one below:

QUOTE:

"Dear unsw Subscriber,

To complete your unsw account, you must reply to this email immeditely and enter your password here (*********)

Failure to do this will immediately render your email address deactivated from our database."

Impact
Users may inadvertently disclose their UniPass details to adversaries who may then compromise email accounts and other UNSW online systems.

Recommendations
Specific to this threat:
If you have already clicked on a link in this email, your computer may be compromised. We strongly recommend that you immediately update your anti-virus software (and its signature files) and run a full virus scan and repair on your computer. If you require assistance with this process, please contact the IT Service Centre.

Anti-virus software is freely available for download for all staff and students of UNSW at the following link: www.it.unsw.edu.au/services/procurement/software/sav.html

General precautions:
Users should never click on links in emails of doubtful origin. If you are unsure about the authenticity of an email, contact the IT Service Centre.

"Verify Your UNSW UniMail Account" Hoax Emails

QUOTE:

Subject: UPGRADE YOUR UNSW MAIL ACCOUNT NOW

VERIFY YOUR UNSW UNIMAIL ACCOUNT

This mail is from the UNSW and it is to inform all our UNSW UNIMAIL users that we will be upgrading our site in a couple of days from now. So you as a user of our site you are required to send us your Email account details so as to enable us know if you are still making use of your mail box. Further be informed that we will be deleting all mail account that is not functioning to create more space for new users.Verify your account with the following details:

User name:.........

Password:..............

Date of birth:...........

Security question:.....

Security answer:........

WARNING: Any mail user that refuses to send his/her verification details with in the next seven(7) days of receipt of this mail, his/her mail account will be erased permanently from the site. verification code: unsw.edu.au:65248671/852 Thanks for using UNSW UNIMAIL.

Impact
Users may inadvertently disclose their UniPass details to adversaries who may then compromise email accounts and other UNSW online systems.

Recommendations
Users should never disclose any such personal information in response to emails. If you are unsure about the authenticity of an email, contact the IT Service Centre.

If you have accidentally responded to such an email, your UniPass and email accounts may already be compromised. We strongly recommend that you immediately change your UniPass password and advise the IT Service Centre of the potential compromise to your account. You can change your UniPass at the following web site: www.diy.unsw.edu.au (click on the Do-It-Yourself link).

We strongly recommend that you immediately update your anti-virus software (and its signature files) and run a full virus scan and repair on your computer. If you require assistance with this process, please contact the IT Service Centre.

Anti-virus software is freely available for download for all staff and students of UNSW at the following link: www.it.unsw.edu.au/services/procurement/software/sav.html

"UNSW Support Team" Hoax Emails

Issue
The IT Service Centre has received a number of reports of emails falsely claiming to be sent by ‘UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES SUPPORT TEAM’. These e-mails attempt to scam the user into surrendering personal information such as UniPass details, dates of birth etc, such as the one below:

QUOTE:

Dear UNSW Subscriber

This mail is to inform all our {unsw.edu.au} users that we will be upgrading our site in a couple of days from now. So you as a Subscriber of our site you are required send us your Email account details so as to enable us know if you are still making use of your mail box.

Further be informed that we will be deleting all mail account that is not functioning so as to create more space for new user. so you are to send us your mail account details which are as follows:

*User name:
*Password:
*Date of birth:

All Details Must be forwarded to the support team via this email.
supporta105@googlemail.com

Failure to do this will immediately render your email address deactivated from our database.

Thanks

UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES SUPPORT TEAM

Recommendations
All UNSW email users are advised that this is a scam/phishing email aimed at eliciting your UniPass details. Do not respond to the email.

Users should never disclose any such personal information in response to emails. If you are unsure about the authenticity of an email, contact the IT Service Centre.

If you have accidentally responded to such an email, your UniPass and email accounts may already be compromised. We strongly recommend that you immediately change your UniPass password and advise the IT Service Centre of the potential compromise to your account. You can change your UniPass at the following web site: www.diy.unsw.edu.au (click on the Do-It-Yourself link).

Update your anti-virus software (and its signature files) and run a full virus scan and repair on your computer. If you require assistance with this process, please contact the IT Service Centre.

Anti-virus software is freely available for download for all staff and students of UNSW at the following link: www.it.unsw.edu.au/services/procurement/software/sav.html