"Cybercriminals Exploit Gaza Crisis With Fake Charity"

Cybersecurity researchers at Abnormal Security have uncovered a charity attack exploiting the ongoing events in Gaza and Israel.  The researchers noted that cybercriminals targeted 212 individuals across 88 organizations, attempting to manipulate sympathy for children in Palestine to solicit fraudulent donations.  The attackers, posing as a group from “help-palestine.com,” urged recipients to contribute to a campaign supposedly providing vital support to families in Palestine.  The attackers requested cryptocurrency donations, ranging from $100 to $5000, with wallet addresses provided for Bitcoin, Litecoin and Ethereum.  To enhance credibility, the researchers stated that the attackers included three links to recent news articles highlighting the impact of the conflict on children.  The researchers noted that the attackers strategically employed emotionally charged language throughout the campaign, emphasizing the challenges faced by children in Palestine and using inclusive terms to establish a shared identity with the recipients.  From a technical standpoint, the attackers utilized multiple tactics to conceal their identity, including spoofing a legitimate email address from Goodwill Wealth Management, an India-based stock brokerage, and creating a non-existent domain.  The actual email address was hidden in the reply-to field.

Infosecurity reports: "Cybercriminals Exploit Gaza Crisis With Fake Charity"