Apple users are advised to be vigilant for a new scam being distributed via a popular scheduling tool.
Bleeping Computer was the first to report that cyber criminals were using iCloud Calendar invites to send phishing emails that look as if they come from Apple’s email servers.
In one incident cited by the Bleeping Computer, a target reported receiving an email claiming to offer a receipt for a large purchase via PayPal. The email message directed the person to contact a “support team” via phone with questions.
Scammers hope the target will return the call to dispute the charge, tricking them into providing personal information that could be used to hack into an account and steal money or other sensitive data.
The email scam is pretty standard, but as Bleeping Computer pointed out, what makes it unusual is that it was sent from noreply@email.apple.com, making it look like it came through Apple’s mail server. Closer examination shows the email is actually an iCloud Calendar invite, effectively circumventing Apple’s security measures.
“It is believed that the Microsoft 365 email address to which the invite is sent is actually a mailing list that automatically forwards any email it receives to all other group members,” Bleeping Computer explained. “In this case, the mailing list members are the targets of the phishing scam.
“While there is nothing particularly special about the phishing lure itself, the abuse of the legitimate iCloud Calendar invite feature, Apple’s email servers, and an Apple email address adds a sense of legitimacy to the email and also allows it to potentially bypass spam filters as it comes from a trusted source,” the tech website explained.
If you receive one of the emails or an unexpected Calendar invite with a strange message, don’t respond and delete it. – al.com/Tribune News Service
