The Cybersecurity Team of Masaryk University is warning users about phishing emails impersonating the Rector of the University. The fraudulent messages are designed to build trust, prompt recipients to respond quickly, and initiate further communication. The subsequent conversation may aim to obtain sensitive university information or persuade the recipient to make or facilitate a payment.
Attackers are sending phishing messages in which they impersonate the Rector of Masaryk University. The messages are sent from various external email addresses, such as officepvostmqil@gmail.com or Martin.bares.med@outlook.com, and are designed to appear at first glance as legitimate communication.
The wording of the messages is intended to build trust and prompt the recipient to respond. They are written in both Czech and Slovak, which can further reinforce the impression of normal and credible communication. They typically include a personal greeting, a request for discreet assistance, and an explanation of why the sender cannot make a phone call, for example because they are in a meeting or otherwise busy. Requests for discretion, time pressure, and attempts to discourage verification through another communication channel are all important warning signs.
The wave of phishing messages we have detected is likely intended primarily to initiate communication and gain the recipient’s trust. Once the recipient responds, the attacker may follow up with a request to disclose sensitive information, make a payment, or carry out another unusual action for the attacker’s benefit.
However, we generally recommend that users:
If the system warns you that you do not usually receive messages from a particular email address, treat this as a reason to verify the sender. In phishing attempts, an unusual external email address may be a key sign that someone is merely impersonating a familiar or trusted person.
If you are interested in the context, the terminology, or would like to better understand the reasons behind this warning.
The sender name displayed in an email can be set quite easily to make a message appear legitimate. The name alone is therefore not proof that the message was actually sent by that person. It is important to check the actual email address, which in many email clients needs to be expanded or viewed in the message details.
For a more detailed check of where the email came from, you can also inspect its email header, which contains technical information about the message’s origin and the route it took. You can find more information on how to view and interpret these details in our article Do you understand email headers?
Phishing messages impersonating the Rector demonstrate how attackers can use a trusted name, personal greetings, and urgent or discreet wording to initiate communication with the recipient. It is therefore important to verify the sender’s actual email address, be cautious of unusual requests, and, if in doubt, confirm the communication through another channel.
You can always find everything important about cybersecurity at Masaryk University on https://security.muni.cz/en.
The Cybersecurity Team of Masaryk University is warning about fraudulent emails that misuse the identities of university users in an attempt to obtain money, while also gathering information about the recipient and their work environment.