Harry Potter Phishing Attack: Fact or Fiction?

July 16th, 2007 | Category: Phishing

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/harrypotterspoilers.html (WARNING: If you’re a Harry Potter fan you may want to hold off reading it.) The spoiler was nothing more than a summary of which main characters allegedly die in battle with Voldemort and other rivals.
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!

img_3625.jpg

********** 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

65 comments Digg this

65 Comments so far

  1. lillepalle July 17th, 2007 7:49 am

    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!

  2. higB July 17th, 2007 8:26 am

    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. ;)

  3. Moi July 17th, 2007 9:29 am

    Does somebody knows where we could see all the pictures? I sure want to see them :P

    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 :P ) 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 :P

  4. Phishme » EXIF Scrubbing: Hey, Harry! Know your Tool and Wash your Hands. July 19th, 2007 2:00 pm

    [...] 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 [...]

  5. bung July 21st, 2007 6:18 am

    Does somebody knows where we could see all the pictures? I sure want to see them

  6. dhb900 July 21st, 2007 8:02 am

    Thank you very That was very cool Thank you for photos
    dhb900

  7. julzy12 July 21st, 2007 9:51 am

    WOW!!
    i need to read the book on the computer!!!! not by the book, OH PLEEZZZ!! i love J.K. Rowling’s books THEY ROCCKKKK!!!

    please keep writing J.K. Rowling!

  8. Nurlan June 20th, 2008 9:43 am

    saam
    sasjd

  9. Nurlan June 20th, 2008 9:43 am

    hello

  10. robeth August 8th, 2008 11:39 pm

    harry potter rulez!!!!

    heya!!!

    congratulations!

    you win the heart of the people!!

  11. fenny September 9th, 2008 12:08 am

    harry potter is so great, i like it!!! the story is so good. everyone like you………… EXCELLENT!!

  12. inten September 12th, 2008 11:22 pm

    harry potter it’s so good! i like it very much!!!!!!!!!!!

  13. carmelita October 9th, 2008 4:32 am

    hi! i really like harry potter its so nice.
    nindot kaau doh.. gwapo kaayo si harry potter

  14. carmelita October 9th, 2008 4:32 am

    congrats sa gabuhat sa harry potter

  15. carmelita October 9th, 2008 4:33 am

    thank you……..

  16. shashank December 29th, 2008 1:47 am

    i like this . but u have to show specified name of books seperately

  17. yenni February 17th, 2009 12:44 am

    hy,,,it’s mE!!
    i’m so Like this Story…eventhought my EngLlish so Bad..
    but, i’sure you know,what i want!!
    hikh…hikh…PEACE from INDONESIAN ;-)

  18. Nikki March 14th, 2009 2:26 pm

    This sounds really cool my best friend bethany got me hooked on harry potter, so im re doing my room into a harry potter theme. YOU ROCK HERMIONE!

  19. SWEETY March 23rd, 2009 7:13 am

    U R SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CUTE.

  20. SWEETY March 23rd, 2009 7:15 am

    U R SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CUTE HARRY.LUV U LUV U LUV UUUUU
    U LOOK’S REALLY NICE SPECIALLY IN ”GOBLET OF FIRE”
    U R SUPERB.
    WE LUV U
    BUBBYE.

  21. melinda March 25th, 2009 4:27 am

    I LOVE U TO DANIEL !!!

    YOU IS MY IDOL ME

  22. melinda March 25th, 2009 4:30 am

    i love u to daniel !!!

    you is my idol !!!

  23. biggest fan ever !!!!! April 15th, 2009 7:52 am

    i am harry potters biggest ever fan i’v read aqll the books and luv them all sooooo much!!! i luv all the characeters in the films too— their well good. <<<< LUV U HARRY POTTER!!!!
    x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

  24. hepi May 3rd, 2009 3:57 am

    hii?daniel I’m hepi from indonesia.I like harry potter because this story is so good.Good LUCK harry.soory i not speak engglish

  25. aldjrich June 18th, 2009 8:41 am

    In first i thouth Harry Potter is a boring book tale. but when I watch the movie Harry Potter and the chamber of secret, now I want to wath all Harry Potter movies. Although there are many side comments about the author of the book. But that movie is really great. I am a Filipino9.

  26. ayah June 18th, 2009 10:43 am

    ilove you harry

  27. townsend June 23rd, 2009 7:24 pm

    i love harry potter so much i cryed when we had to return the goblet of fire. i think hermoine is so cute!!

    townsend
    6-23-09
    8:24 P.M.

  28. bawithang July 1st, 2009 3:30 am

    I LOVE YOU

  29. Alexandra July 2nd, 2009 5:42 am

    Im just on the second book of Harry Potter and I nearly am at
    the third book.Ive got to go now.

  30. harsha July 2nd, 2009 11:40 am

    Harry potter is the best movie in the world

  31. Harry tennyson July 2nd, 2009 11:49 am

    harry potter i`m watching it now

  32. Branden aitken July 3rd, 2009 2:50 pm

    Dear Harry Potter, my name is Branden me & frind Ryan are your bigest fans I watched 1 2 3 4 &1 2 3 books

  33. Astrid cute'''' July 4th, 2009 1:11 pm

    Dear Daniel Radcliffe: how r u????????
    I’m astrid from Indonesia, i like this story.
    Harry potter is the best movie. Would u come to my country?? Good luck for all.
    BYE……….

  34. Alexandra July 5th, 2009 3:48 am

    I love Harry Potter.I enjoy his books.They are the best of all.

    [smiley]

  35. Alexandra July 5th, 2009 3:52 am

    My mum just said that there is an actor who is playing Ron and
    he has swine flu.

  36. Alexandra July 5th, 2009 3:54 am

    Guys why arnt you ansering me?

  37. Alexandra July 5th, 2009 3:56 am

    Thats funny.GUYS AM I ON MY OWN?

  38. Alexandra July 5th, 2009 3:59 am

    They must have left me alone.NOT FAIR.

  39. Alexandra July 5th, 2009 4:00 am

    ARE YOU INTRESTED OF MY COMENTS.

  40. Alexandra July 5th, 2009 4:03 am

    Still not ansering.I wonder why.

  41. Alexandra July 6th, 2009 10:42 am

    Im going some were else.I will come back soon.

  42. Pollimigo July 7th, 2009 1:44 am

    I love Harry Potter. Oh, and Alex? Swine-flu Ron? Haha!
    Imagine this:
    Ron:*says lines*Achoo!
    Director:Stop sneezing!
    Hermione:Yeah!
    Harry:Yeah!
    Ron:Sorry! I can’t help it!
    LOL!

  43. agatha20_andrade@yahoo.co July 7th, 2009 7:10 pm

    hello… harry potter my name is agatha

  44. agatha20_andrade@yahoo.co July 7th, 2009 7:12 pm

    i love you

  45. piyusha July 8th, 2009 12:23 am

    hey, im frm India…. the beautiful country… i like this film sooooooo…ooo much

  46. matinue July 8th, 2009 7:30 pm

    hi im from bangladesh. harry potter is my Faberge hero

  47. lea July 9th, 2009 1:41 pm

    i love harry potter i always have but i cant wait untill the hath blood prince comes out !!! cant u

  48. dawson July 10th, 2009 5:38 pm

    you r cool super cool

  49. Alexandra July 11th, 2009 6:19 am

    Is Harry Potter fameos

  50. Alexandra July 11th, 2009 6:46 am

    Oh.So you think that is funney.

  51. Alexandra July 11th, 2009 6:49 am

    Bye the way I had swine flu and its not funny

  52. Alexandra July 11th, 2009 6:53 am

    I HAD SWINE FLU.I AM ANGRY and i did not play RON.

  53. Alexandra July 12th, 2009 2:46 am

    I am going.Bye LOL.

  54. bilal July 12th, 2009 11:59 am

    hi harry yours movies are too good

  55. Phanthoudeth July 12th, 2009 9:53 pm

    I like Harry potter so much ,from Mr Phanthoudeth , Laos, Vientiane

  56. Phanthoudeth July 12th, 2009 9:54 pm

    I love every one in the movice

  57. bobleeeeeeeeeeela July 13th, 2009 9:33 am

    harry potter my hart iloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooove u

  58. bobleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeela July 13th, 2009 9:37 am

    hi harry ilove your movice

  59. Qazvswrh July 15th, 2009 9:23 am

    Harry potter is the greatest thing ever created, it’s real in my eyes

  60. Lauren July 15th, 2009 2:37 pm

    U rock out loud, Harry Potter!! I’m gonna see the 6th movie soon…LOVE YOU, HARRY!
    Oh, and my name is Lauren hahahaha i forgot to tell you…thats not funny sorry
    LOVE YOU!

  61. Rebecca September 4th, 2009 8:41 am

    hi, i am a big fan of harry potter and i love emma watson and ron and i think they are in love just that they are shy

  62. nicholas October 15th, 2009 7:40 pm

    to danial radcliff i am your noumber one fan and so as emma watson and ron wesly yous are all the best things that ever happend to me

  63. nicholas October 15th, 2009 7:42 pm

    harry p[otter and all the cruuuu are the best thing that ever happend to me an thanks to yous i want to be an actor to.

  64. archie November 20th, 2009 9:26 am

    i luv you daniel

  65. bob November 24th, 2009 3:52 pm

    is he looking down her shirt?

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