Boeing Plane Crashes Used In Spam Emails

Spammers have hit a new low, exploiting the recent Boeing 737 MAX crashes in malware-laden emails, according to the 360 Threat Intelligence Center.

Recipients who open an JAR attachment purporting to be a listing of all airlines using the planes at risk are served H-WORM RAT malware and the Adwind information-stealing Trojan, Bleeping Computer reports,  

The bad, almost illiterate copy should be a giveaway to astute recipients. However, some victims could be driven by concerns over flight safety to open the attachments.

The Federal Aviation Administration has grounded the aircraft pending further investigation.  

The email reads as follows:

“Greetings   I believe you have heard about the latest crash Boeing 737 MAX 8 which happen on sunday 10 march 2019, All  passengers and crew were killed in the accident  Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to Nairobi, Kenya, crashed shortly after takeoff   The dead were of 35 different nationalities, including eight Americans.”

It continues:
“On 29 October 2018, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 operating the route crashed into the Java Sea 12 minutes after takeoff.  All 189 passengers and crew were killed in the accident.  note: there was a leak information from Darkweb which listed all the airline companies that will go down soon.  kindly notify your love ones about the informations on these file.   Regards  Joshua Berlinger  private inteligent analyst”

In a related flap regarding the crashes, American has been criticized for sending an email about the equipment—without including a signature. 

The corporate email said “most of the appropriate things, in a slightly legalistic way,” writes Chris Matyszczyk, owner, Howard Raucous LLC, on INC.

The email states: “Whether you're traveling with us today, this week or this year, be assured the safety and security of our customers and team members is always our top priority and we will never operate an unsafe aircraft.” 

Matyszczyk argues: “"This was a troubling turn of phrase, given that American's own mechanics say the airline is currently flying planes "in an unairworthy condition. "

However, at least American sent an email — United did not bother, he charges. 

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