Email containing Trojan virus eludes standard security software
August 6, 2015
A BC lawyer advised the Law Society that he received an email and attachment from Aldo-Henson[at]conpromos.com. The lawyer's standard anti-virus program didn't detect a virus, but because the lawyer did not recognize the sender's name he saved the message to a USB drive and scanned the email with a different anti-virus program superior in detecting Trojan viruses. The email's .zip attachment contained a virus called "Trojan.Downloader.js.ra."
The sender's email stated:
Please find attached copy of the passport for my wife and daughter as requested. please note we need to complete on the purchase in 4 weeks from the agreed date.
Thank you,
Aldo Henson
The email included an attachment with the file name "Aldo Henson.zip."
Accountants have reportedly received the same email but with different sender names.
This type of Trojan virus connects to the Internet and attempts to download, install and execute malicious files. For more information, see our December 21, 2012 Notice to the Profession.
Lawyers should talk to their banks to find out what trust account protection they offer in these circumstances. If you are exposed, talk to your insurance broker as your compulsory policy for negligence does not respond to these sorts of risks. Insurance is available through a crime policy as well as through an endorsement to your cyber liability policy. For a list of brokers, click here.