We have recently seen an uptick in emails that contain foreign languages, especially German and Chinese. Be extremely careful with them. In almost all cases, they will be phishing or potentially malicious. One version that has become prevalent over the Internet is called GandCrab, which send emails in German along with a .ZIP file which is very malicious and will encrypt your files and possibly others and then demand a ransom. While we do have multiple defenses specifically for ransomware and other malware, nothing is foolproof. Keep an eye out for these emails in your personal accounts as well.

In addition, we are seeing many attempts at sending simple emails that may contain a staff member’s name and a request that you open an attached invoice or other document, which is usually a PDF. While most of them are automatically blocked, some are still sneaky enough to get through our filters. If an invoice or other attachment is sent to you that you aren’t expecting, please contact the sender before opening. If you can’t confirm that it is legitimate, delete it.

Please continue to be vigilant when dealing with unexpected emails. We all play a vital role in defending the City from malicious email attacks.

Keep Chesapeake’s technology resources safe and secure. Think before you click!