Following the news that Microsoft announced that hackers targeted European think tanks and non-profit organizations which often have contact with government officials, Corin Imai, Senior Security Advisor at DomainTools commented below.
Corin Imai, Senior Security Advisor at DomainTools:
“Microsoft’s discovery is an important reminder that while phishing is often associated with consumer-facing scams, the threat to businesses and organisations is equally as serious. The fact that EU think tanks and not for profits were targeted would indicate that the threat actors behind it were attempting to steal sensitive information or funds from the organisations, indicating a nation-state or large scale criminal enterprise. The aim could also have been simply to disrupt the operational capacity of these organisations, as we have seen nation-state actors such as Fancy Bears and the Lazarus group attempt in the past. Organisations of all shapes and sizes need to remain vigilant to phishing attacks, which could and often are the first steps down an even more sinister path of cybercrime.”
