Cybercriminals Pose as Capital One Using a Spoofed Email in Credential Phishing Attack
In this phishing attack, a cybercriminal impersonates Capital One, a major financial institution, and sends a fraudulent account alert to its target. Using the spoofed email address "work@secure[.]net", the attacker informs the recipient of unusual excess charges detected on their Capital One card, prompting the fraud department to lock the account. The email urges the recipient to review recent account activities and complete the verification process by clicking on the provided link. However, should the target click on “Review Your Account Now”, they will be redirected to a phishing site designed to steal sensitive information. To enhance the appearance of legitimacy, the attacker uses professional language and Capital One branding,. The email exploits the trusted name of Capital One and the urgency of potential fraud to manipulate the recipient into providing sensitive information without scrutinizing the email's legitimacy.
Older, legacy email security tools struggle to accurately identify this email as an attack because it originates from a spoofed email address, employs sophisticated social engineering techniques, and lacks malicious attachments. Modern, AI-powered email security solutions recognize that the sender name doesn’t match the domain, detect suspicious links in the message, and conduct advanced content analysis to correctly flag this email as an attack.
Threat actor impersonates Capital One and uses a social engineering tactic in this phishing attempt
How Does This Attack Bypass Email Defenses?
This email attack bypasses traditional security solutions for multiple reasons, including the following:
- Spoofed Email Address: The attacker spoofs a legitimate email address, "work@secure[.]net", bypassing basic email verification checks and adding perceived authenticity.
- Social Engineering Tactic: The email claims that unusual charges have been detected and the account has been locked, creating a sense of urgency and prompting immediate action.
- Absence of Malicious Attachments: By not including suspicious attachments, the email avoids detection by antivirus and anti-malware systems focused on attachment-based threats.
How Did Abnormal Detect This Attack?
This attack was detected using AI and ML by analyzing various factors, including the following:
- Sender Name and Domain Mismatch: The sender name (Capital One) does not match the domain "secure[.]net", raising further suspicion during Abnormal’s analysis.
- Suspicious Link Analysis: Abnormal's systems scrutinize the presence of a link leading to a suspicious domain, triggering deeper analysis for possible malicious intent.
- Content Analysis: The email's urgent message about unusual charges and account locking is flagged by Abnormal as a common phishing tactic.
By recognizing established normal behavior and detecting these abnormal indicators, a modern email security solution has the ability to prevent this attack from reaching inboxes.
Please note the exact detection mechanism from Abnormal Security's system might include proprietary techniques and methodologies not disclosed here.