OpenAI Impersonation Phishing Attack Targets Businesses Globally

Cybercriminals Launch Large-Scale Phishing Attack by Impersonating OpenAI: Barracuda

This phishing attack included a suspicious sender domain, an email address designed to mimic legitimacy, and a sense of urgency in the message. The email closely resembled legitimate communication from OpenAI but relied on an obfuscated hyperlink, and the actual URL differed from one email to another. We'll break down these elements to help you better understand how attackers are evolving and what to look out for. Since the launch of ChatGPT, OpenAI has sparked significant interest among both businesses and cybercriminals. While companies are increasingly concerned about whether their existing cybersecurity measures can adequately defend against threats curated with generative AI tools, attackers are finding new ways to exploit them. From crafting convincing phishing campaigns to deploying advanced credential harvesting and malware delivery methods, cybercriminals are using AI to target end users and capitalize on potential vulnerabilities.

Cybercriminals impersonate OpenAI in large-scale phishing attack, Barracuda Uncovers

Barracuda threat researchers have uncovered a large-scale OpenAI impersonation campaign targeting businesses worldwide. Attackers targeted their victims with a well-known tactic -- they impersonated OpenAI with an urgent message requesting updated payment information to process a monthly subscription. This phishing attack included a suspicious sender domain, an email address designed to mimic legitimacy, and a sense of urgency in the message. The email closely resembled legitimate communication from OpenAI but relied on an obfuscated hyperlink, and the actual URL differed from one email to another. We'll break down these elements to help you better understand how attackers are evolving and what to look out for. Since the launch of ChatGPT, OpenAI has sparked significant interest among both businesses and cybercriminals. While companies are increasingly concerned about whether their existing cybersecurity measures can adequately defend against threats curated with generative AI tools, attackers are finding new ways to exploit them. From crafting convincing phishing campaigns to deploying advanced credential harvesting and malware delivery methods, cybercriminals are using AI to target end users and capitalize on potential vulnerabilities. Elements of the phishing attack When Barracuda's analysts analyzed the OpenAI impersonation attack, the volume of emails sent was significant, but the lack of sophistication was surprising. This attack was sent from a single domain to over 1,000 recipients. The email did, however, use different hyperlinks within the email body, possibly to evade detection. Following is a list of high-level attributes from the email that break down the phishing characteristics: Sender's email addressThe email is from [email protected], which does not match the official OpenAI domain (e.g., @openai.com). This is a significant red flag.DKIM and SPF recordsThe email passed DKIM and SPF checks, which means that the email was sent from a server authorized to send emails on behalf of the domain. However, the domain itself is suspicious.Content and languageThe language used in the email is typical of phishing attempts, urging immediate action and creating a sense of urgency. Legitimate companies usually do not pressure users in this manner.Contact informationThe email provides a recognizable support email ([email protected]), adding legitimacy to the overall message. However, the overall context and sender's address undermine its credibility. Impact of GenAI on phishing Research from Barracuda and leading security analysts such as Forrester shows an increase in email attacks like spam and phishing since ChatGPT's launch. GenAI clearly has an impact on the volume of the attacks and the ease with which they are created, but for now cybercriminals are still primarily using it to help them with the same tactics and types of attacks, such as impersonating a well-known and influential brand. The 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report by Verizon shows that GenAI was mentioned in less than 100 breaches last year. The report states, "We did keep an eye out for any indications of the use of the emerging field of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in attacks and the potential effects of those technologies, but nothing materialized in the incident data we collected globally." It further states that the number of mentions of GenAI terms alongside traditional attack types and vectors such as phishing, malware, vulnerabilities, and ransomware was low. Similarly, Forrester analysts observed in their 2023 report that while tools like ChatGPT can make phishing emails and websites more convincing and scalable, there's little to suggest that generative AI has fundamentally changed the nature of attacks. The report states, "GenAI's ability to create compelling text and images will considerably improve the quality of phishing emails and websites, it can also help fraudsters compose their attacks on a greater scale." That said, it's only a matter of time before GenAI advancements lead attackers to significant new and more sophisticated threats. Attackers are undoubtedly experimenting with AI, though, so it's better for organizations to get ready now. Staying vigilant about traditional phishing red flags and strengthening basic defenses are still some of the best ways to guard against evolving cyber risks. How to protect against these attacks Here are a few strategies to help you get ahead of this evolving threat: Deploy advanced email security solutions. AI-powered tools that leverage machine learning will detect and block all email threat types, including those that leverage AI. These solutions analyze email content, sender behavior, and intent to identify sophisticated phishing attempts, including those that mimic legitimate communication styles.Ensure continuous security awareness training. Regularly train employees to recognize phishing attacks and the latest tactics used by cybercriminals. Emphasize the importance of scrutinizing unexpected requests, verifying email sources, and reporting suspicious activity. Use simulated phishing attacks to reinforce learning.Automate your incident response. Post-delivery remediation tools can help minimize the impact of attacks that get through your defenses. Deploy a solution that will help respond to email incidents in seconds by identifying and removing all copies of malicious and unwanted mail.

Watch out - OpenAI is being spoofed as part of a major phishing attack

New research from Barracuda has revealed threat actors are now using OpenAI in impersonation campaigns that target businesses across the globe. The attack uses an email which impersonates OpenAI and sends an 'urgent message' to the victims recommending they update their payment information for their subscription, all through their handy direct link - a textbook phishing technique. The operation was far reaching, with one email being sent to over 1,000 users. The first red flag was the sender's email address, which did not match the official OpenAI domain (e.g. @openai.com). Instead, it was sent from info@mta.topmarinelogistics.com. Worryingly, the email passed DKIM and SPF checks, meaning it was sent from a server that is authorized to send emails on behalf of the domain. The language in the email is common for phishing attacks, pressuring the user to take immediate action and creating fear and urgency. This is far from the only AI related malicious campaign reported in the last few months. Earlier in 2024, a Microsoft report found 87% of UK organizations are more susceptible to cyberattacks thanks to the increasing use of AI tools. That's not to mention the rise in deep fake and convincing AI voice scams that have been targeting businesses and consumers. Already businesses around the world have lost millions to deep fake fraud, and almost half have been targeted at some point by this type of scam. The introduction of machine learning algorithms that can uncover and leverage software flaws means that AI is leading to a dramatic increase in the number of attacks. Despite this, research indicates that 90% of cyberattacks will still involve some element of human interaction, like with phishing attacks, so making sure everyone in your organization is trained to spot the signs of an attack is the best protection for a business.