Threat Alert: What to Watch For

• Cybercriminals have launched a series of phishing attacks impersonating the legitimate law firm, including Latham & Watkins. The attacks are designed to spread malicious software (malware) to unsuspecting recipients.
• The emails use an alleged violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as a phishing lure to convince targeted individuals to download a malicious attachment.
• The email claims to be from Latham & Watkins; however, the actual sending address is from a Skullhosting account. Additionally, the name of the law firm is misspelled at the top of the email body.
• While these attacks reference an alleged HIPAA violation, other recent phishing attacks have used alleged violations of other regulations — such as the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) — in lures.

Key Action: Report Suspicious Emails

• Report ANY suspicious emails using the Phish Alarm button.
• Remember: Our organization occasionally sends phishing simulations that are used to evaluate the potential impact of a real phishing attack. Report any emails that match the tactics described above.
• If a reported message is a simulation, you will see a notification alerting you to that. No further action is needed on your part.
• If a reported message was not a simulation, and you are concerned about a time-sensitive request, you must take additional steps to verify the email is valid before acting on it.

Tips to Remember (at Work and at Home)

• Verify the legitimacy of any unsolicited/unexpected email before you interact with it, especially if it directs you to download an unexpected attachment. It can be tempting to look at allegedly high priority attachments, but if you notice subtle inconsistencies, it is safest to verify an attachment via an alternate means of communication, such as over the phone.
• Be wary of strong appeals to emotion. Attackers try to manipulate people’s emotions in various ways, such as with stressful or urgent messages relating to potential legal liability
• Remain alert to phishing indicators. Mismatches between sending addresses and an organization’s name are always warning signs (a legitimate law firm would never send email from a Skullhosting account!). Spelling mistakes, especially of prominent terms such as the name of the company, are another clear indicator.