Post by Elle Salinas
Picture this: It’s late and you’re observing your inbox, glowing like a jack-o-lantern. You notice an ominous new message that says: “URGENT: Your account will be closed.” It seems to be a legitimate email, but as you scan further, you see “CLICK HERE” in bold red letters.
You hesitate, as something about the email does not feel right. A spooky chill rips through the room. Do you open it… or not?
Gather round the campfire as we celebrate Halloween by sharing the ghost stories of past phishing exploits that relentlessly haunt the world to this day. We love Halloween candy, but these phish aren’t so sweet!
What began as a curious employee, looking to identify contents of a USB drive, led to one of the biggest exploits in history.
When walking into work, the employee identified a USB that was left in the parking lot. The employee plugged the USB into their computer and unleashed something far worse than random photos or files. Instead, they unleashed a digital curse—a curse that led malware to creep silently throughout the network, shutting down critical systems at Saudi Aramco, just as employees were headed out for the holidays.
USB drop attacks simply prey on curiosity. One click can unleash literal chaos. The fix? Treat EVERY USB as a cursed relic and leave it where it is. Never plug in unknown devices, restrict removable media, and report anything that looks suspicious to your security team.
In 2015, Ubiquiti Networks became the victim of a BEC (business email compromise) exploit. Attackers impersonated company executives and sent urgent, very convincing wire transfer requests to finance staff, hoping that someone would take the bait. Someone did.
Once the team began to dig deeper, they identified over $40 million had been disbursed into various foreign accounts. This was not a failure of firewalls or encryption, but an exploit of authority, trust, and urgency.
Sometimes, goblins wear suits. It is important to always ask the proper questions to ensure nothing is amiss. Verification policies, approval processes, and employee training are the best ways to remain a step ahead of the goblins.
In 2020, Solar Winds was affected by a supply chain compromise, which allowed attackers to infiltrate their environment. Once the threat actors obtained access, they were able to insert malicious code into a routine update. When clients installed the update, they unknowingly invited “the zombies” inside their systems. Unfortunately, the malicious code did what it does best and destroyed everything.
Government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and various private organizations across the globe were affected. Thousands of systems became haunted by a single patch. It gets worse; the zombies waited months BEFORE striking to ensure that they blended in, like the shadows of the night.
This ghost story emphasizes the importance of implementing a zero trust architecture, rigorous code audits, and vigilant vendor assessments. These are the spells that protect modern networks from these spectral invasions.
In 2022, Mailchimp employees received what seemed to be authentic looking internal messages involving login verification. These emails were strategically crafted, complete with company branding and urgency. Unfortunately, a few employees took the bait, opening the doorway and allowing outsiders to access systems that stored customer data.
The fallout was rather swift. Clients began to report secondary phishing attacks using data retrieved from the original data stolen from Mailchimp’s systems. This served as a reminder that even companies built on communication security aren’t always safe from monsters.
Social engineering evolves faster than our defenses. It is important to remember that security is bigger than just technology. A key component of security is slowing down and questioning everything that lands into your inbox.
In 2016, an email slithered into the inbox of a Democratic National Committee staffer. The email appeared to come from Google, warning of potential unauthorized activity. In a rush, the staffer clicked the link and entered their credentials. This opened the gates to the entire DNC network.
Once in, the attackers moved unseen, collecting data and communications for weeks without a soul detecting them. This wasn’t brute force or wizardry that broke through their walls, just human trust.
Spear phishing preys on familiarity and urgency. It is important to utilize controls such as MFA and one’s ability to verify suspicious messages, regardless how convincing the disguise may be.
Each of these hauntings taught the world something new. From phishing emails that altered political landscapes to poisoned updates that infiltrated global systems, every incident left behind lessons that have helped shape the cybersecurity space today. Every day consumers and employees can learn important lessons from these ghost stories. Ultimately, we all have an important responsibility to build up cybersecurity together. When we slow down and implement best practices, we can keep the demons at bay. This Halloween, be sure to keep your wits about you and lock your digital door. Let the only scary thing in your life this season be the molded plastic skeletons in your neighbor’s yard, and not phishers in your inbox!