Dear Valued Customers,
We hope this message finds you well.
We would like to raise awareness about a cyber incident involving the hijacking of company email accounts.
This incident did not involve shipboard emails but rather land-based company accounts. The company’s email addresses and passwords were leaked, resulting in fraudulent order emails (for ship supplies, etc.) being sent from the compromised accounts.
The recipients of these fraudulent orders (likely part of the perpetrator group posing as legitimate third parties) begin processing the orders. When the person whose email was hijacked denies placing the order, they are then asked to pay a cancellation fee, claiming that the order process has already started.
These fraudulent order emails are sent from official business email accounts and appear in the sender’s sent folder and CC recipients, making it seem legitimate. This method exploits the trust in the sender’s email authenticity.
To address this, the following steps are crucial:
1.Verify if the Account has been Hijacked:
Cloud systems like Office365 or Gmail log account access history. If you notice any unfamiliar access, it may indicate account hijacking. Contact your system administrator immediately to change passwords and implement necessary security measures.
2.Declare and Disregard False Orders:
Clearly state to the recipient that no order was placed and cease further communication. Continued engagement may lead to inadvertently agreeing to pay the cancellation fee.
While business email accounts offer the convenience of cloud system access from anywhere, they are vulnerable to hijacking if passwords are stolen. Enhancing security with IP address authentication or two-factor authentication is highly recommended.
Additionally, be cautious when registering on internet sites, as these registrations can be a source of password theft. When registering an email address and creating a user account, ensure the password is different from your email password to avoid leakage.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding cybersecurity, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Thank you for your attention and cooperation.