Harry Potter Phishing Attack: Fact or Fiction?
On June 19th a spoiler for the next Rowling book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was posted to the full disclosure mailing list:
http://seclists.org/misc
What is more interesting is how this book was allegedly obtained. The author of the messages claims he launched a phishing attack against Bloomsbury Publishing.
“The attack strategy was the easiest one. The usual milw0rm downloaded exploit delivered by email/click-on-the-link/open-browser/click-on-this-animated-icon/back-connect to some employee of Bloomsbury Publishing, the company that’s behind the Harry crap.”
The claim is that a spear phishing attack was executed against Bloomsbury Publishing staff. Was Bloomsbury Publishing really phished? This telegraph.co.uk story: “Harry Potter ‘hacker’ posts plot on internet” has a quote from a Bloomsbury spokeswoman, “There are lots and lots of rumoured versions of the book (on the internet). We don’t confirm or deny any rumours”
Did the Bloomsburg phishing attack really happen or was it a hoax? Blog.phishme.com doesn’t know but one would think that if this hack really did happen over a month ago, that the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows would be all over bittorrent. I checked a few tracker sites before starting this blog post. All the claims on Demonoid were that the 5 available Deathly Hallows books were either hoaxes or ……..
********** BREAKING NEWS **********
Demonoid has removed all of the hoax torrents and only this one remains:
http://www.demonoid.com/files/details/1252898/13924344/
“I found this on another site, for those of you who simply can’t wait. It only includes the book up to pg.495.
But at least now we can compare the fakes to the real thing.
Enjoy and remember to seed!! ”
This one appears to be someone who has taken digital photos of 495 pages. Now that is someone dedicated to their piracy!
********** END NEWS **********
So it seems that there is still no official full copy on bittorrent but it’s only a matter of time.
In another story by PCmag: Dissecting the Harry Potter ‘Hack’ we read:
“it is conceivable that a successful download-based exploit was launched, according to a member of the hacker community, who asked that his name not be used. He pointed out that hackers have begun to carefully target companies and market segments. A well-crafted attack that uses correct names and titles, and spoofs a sending address from a partner firm, can be highly effective.”
For the record, it’s beyond conceivable, it’s happening now. In the recent incident response projects that we’ve worked the attack vector used to gain a foothold into the organization is a targeted phishing attack. It’s not just a problem for the commercial world either.
Do you think that the DOD is requiring mandatory anti-phishing training because they fear that they might get hacked using this method? Check out this quote from this DOD battles spear phishing article:
“At this point, the true scope of compromise and exploitation is unknown, but likely thousands more users and computers have been, or will be, successfully targeted,” the bulletin states. “
It’s too bad that external penetration testing no longer mimics the ways that attackers are getting into organizations. If you’re responsible for commissioning an external penetration test against your organization, maybe it’s time to do more than full TCP/UDP port scans (*Think social engineering). Today’s myspace generation of attackers don’t even know what UDP is.
-higB
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This is crazy… Who the hell takes all those photos?
And somewhere there must be a book missing, a book that must be able to be traced back to whoevers hands it is that we see!
I think we should call CSI to have those carpet fibers examined. Everytime I watch that show i’m amazed at how robust and accurate their textile database is.
Does somebody knows where we could see all the pictures? I sure want to see them
But Unfortunately, I’m not a member of Demonoid, and I don’t have any invitation
Anyway. I think that lillepalle is right. Somewhere, there’s a book missing… But the places where they stock the books before July 20th are secrets, and there is only some persons (like the guards
) who know where they are!
Or else the guy who did that invented a whole book… That would be really crazy!
Sorry for the mistakes… I speak french
[...] your hands”. The motto should be repeated by the camera man of those Harry Potter pictures reported on earlier in the week. Looks like a little Exif meta data wasn’t cleaned off the photos… or was [...]
i like this . but u have to show specified name of books seperately
Harry potter is the best movie in the world
Guys why arnt you ansering me?
hey………. i am ur bi………………….g fan. and my dream is to meet with u in london. but i dont want to meet u like others .i want that u r also crazy for me …… so i am coming man………one i will meet u with great reward…..so keep waiting…………………
hy…. harry_
l am via l live to jakarta
l am scool drghntra
WARNiNg:
please don’t place it in following place.
my hobby reading
Hello again!Did not speak to you for a long time!Did you know I am on book 4?I bet you did not because as I was saying I have not been here for long.Anyway I bet Harry is going to Hogsmead next year.
Hey harry
I really really like you. U R the Best actor in the world.
I will give everything if I meet you, it’s my dream.
BYE.
hi harry…
i love U so muchh….
u’r my fav actor..
haRRY potter is the best movie in my heart & world..
I want harry potter book. I have a chamber of secret..
Harry,
U re da best man! I am a big fan and fric of urs.
Funny how celebrities don’t know thier fans. But it doesn’t matter man. Tell emma waston to take it easy on you.
Stupefy********
i really like the movie called harry potter please reply
on that email adress
i really like the movie called harry potter please reply
on that email above
Hello there,
Daniel, keep d gud work, hope 2 expect more expectation. Mrs Rowling u are great, u given d world d best book ever. Thank you.
Hello there, harry, ron &
Hermoine
Daniel, keep d gud work, hope 2 expect more expectation. Mrs Rowling u are great, u given d world d best book ever. Thank you.
Hello Harry ron hermiona yuo are in my heart i like you so much much.I read books and i like it . And the filme with you are great .Love you.
thAnk you
Hi harry! I really appreciate your mode of acting,nd i hope u’ll keep it up. Bye!
Sometimes I have dreams of Harry Potter. They are soooo not intresting in my dreams, but in the books they are soooooo fascinating.I always take a break after reading another Harry
Potter book by reading another book.
i love your show i am your biggest fan
hello!deniel sorry but happy birthday !!!!!!!!!!!i your very big fan i love you vey much please come india onn time
hey ….. denial i want to meet you in london i am comming denny. i am crazy for you . i know that you never read this cmment . & i am from india in gujrat .please jo tane timi mle to jarur thi gujrat ma aavjo with ema&ron
hy guyz pple say dat u av confunded or emperiorised me coz am crazy wit u Emma u r so beautiful
Daniel`s a realy good actor
I Love Harry potter movies & every actor in Harry potter are realy good actors.
Hello harry and hermione you guys are the best keep it up and to you enemies (Avada kedavra)