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MailChimp Hacked: Malware Delivered Through Email Newsletters

Posted: November 29, 2016 to Cybersecurity.

Tags: Compliance, Data Breach, Malware

The MailChimp email newsletter service was recently attacked by hackers who infiltrated their subscriber database and sent out emails containing malicious links to users. The emails appeared to be from companies that used MailChimp to outsource their newsletter distribution. The phony emails originate from an administrator account, alleging to be invoices utilizing Quickbooks. Clicking the “View Invoice” button within the message opens an attached .zip file containing malware. Once the breach became apparent, Twitter users began posting screenshots of the invoices they received from the varying companies. So far the hack has appeared to have affected multiple businesses in Australia including Business News Australia, Jim's Building Inspections, and the Sit Down Comedy Club in Brisbane. According to MailChimp, they discovered the hack when their normal compliance process identified accounts sending out the phony invoices. While they said that the accounts were identified and disabled, they encouraged the use of two-factor authentication, implying the problem may have been password related.

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About the Author

Craig Petronella, CEO and Founder of Petronella Technology Group
CEO, Founder & AI Architect, Petronella Technology Group

Craig Petronella founded Petronella Technology Group in 2002 and has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, compliance, and digital forensics. He holds the CMMC Registered Practitioner credential (RP-1372) issued by the Cyber AB, is an NC Licensed Digital Forensics Examiner (License #604180-DFE), and completed MIT Professional Education programs in AI, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. Craig also holds CompTIA Security+, CCNA, and Hyperledger certifications.

He is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author of 15+ books on cybersecurity and compliance, host of the Encrypted Ambition podcast (95+ episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon), and a cybersecurity keynote speaker with 200+ engagements at conferences, law firms, and corporate boardrooms. Craig serves as Contributing Editor for Cybersecurity at NC Triangle Attorney at Law Magazine and is a guest lecturer at NCCU School of Law. He has served as a digital forensics expert witness in federal and state court cases involving cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, SIM-swap attacks, and data breaches.

Under his leadership, Petronella Technology Group has served 2,500+ clients, maintained a zero-breach record among compliant clients, earned a BBB A+ rating every year since 2003, and been featured as a cybersecurity authority on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and WRAL. The company leverages SOC 2 Type II certified platforms and specializes in AI implementation, managed cybersecurity, CMMC/HIPAA/SOC 2 compliance, and digital forensics for businesses across the United States.

CMMC-RP NC Licensed DFE MIT Certified CompTIA Security+ Expert Witness 15+ Books
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