Fareham: Email warning after spambot hits 711 million people

A Fareham IT firm is warning people to be extra vigilant for fraudulent emails after news broke of the biggest spamming operation of its kind this week.

The ‘spambot’ has a list of 711.5 million email addresses which it is targeting with malware. It’s thought to be one of the largest scale data breaches of its type, with the number of email addresses representing one for every man, woman and child in the whole of Europe.

With such a huge number of users targeted, Taylor Made Computer Solutions says it’s likely that hundreds of local people could be among those affected.

Managing director Nigel Taylor said: “This kind of malware seeks to trick people into giving over details that gives hackers access to their bank accounts. The first thing people can do is to check if their accounts have been affected is to visit the Have I Been Pwned website at https://haveibeenpwned.com. If they have been hit, they will fall into one of two categories.

“In the first scenario, the hackers may only know their email address. In that instance, all they can do is hit you with spam in the hope that they can trick you into giving away more information, like your bank details or passwords.

“With that in mind, we’re urging everyone to be extra vigilant for spam emails right now. They can look very convincing, purporting to be from your bank, delivery company or even your supermarket. If you have any doubt, don’t open it.”

Some people affected by the spambot scam have also had their password and other details compromised. In those instances, hackers are using their accounts to spread the spambot even further.

While there is no way of people telling which of these two categories they fall into yet, Taylor Made Computer Solutions is urging everyone to be extra careful.

“Always err on the side of caution,” Taylor said. “Change your passwords and be suspicious of any emails you receive.”

Taylor Made Computer Solutions is holding a cyber security seminar in association with Coffin Mew on September 20. For more details on the event, which is being held at Coffin Mew’s offices in Portsmouth, visit http://www.tmcs.co.uk/event/Cyber Security-breakfast-20th-september/