This news item expired on Thursday, October 31, 2013 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
The FBI has become aware of a spear-phishing e-mail made to appear as if it were from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The subject of the e-mail is “Search for Missing Children,” and a zip file containing 3 malicious files is attached. E-mail recipients should never open attachments or click links in suspicious e-mails.
Spear-phishing attacks are often used by individuals conducting targeted, rather than opportunistic, attacks. Those responsible for the attack may be seeking precise information stored on an organization’s network or systems rather than monetary gain.
Every organization is at risk of being the target of a spear-phishing attack.
If you have received a suspicious e-mail at work, please report it to your organization in accordance with your organization’s security policy. You may also report this activity to the FBI by filing a complaint at www.ic3.gov. US-CERT can be reached by telephone at 888-282-0870 or by e-mail at SOC@us-cert.gov. US-CERT’s website can be found online at www.us-cert.gov.
When available, each report submitted should include the date, time, location, type of activity, number of people, and type of equipment used for the activity, the name of the submitting company or organization, and a designated point of contact.
Source: www.us-cert.gov