Latest news with #Proofpoint
The Star
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Over 80 per cent of scam emails globally targeted Japan in May: security firm
TOKYO: (Bernama-Kyodo) Over 80 per cent of email scams with identifiable senders targeted Japanese recipients in May, as advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) allow the use of more natural language, Kyodo News Agency reported citing US cybersecurity firm. Of the record-high 770 million scam emails sent globally in May, Proofpoint analysed 240 million containing sender data and found 81.4 per cent of those targeted Japanese speakers, the company said in a recent report. "Fraudulent emails were easily spotted previously because of unnatural wording, but the advancement of generative AI has helped produce natural sentences, enabling them to break through the language barrier," Proofpoint Japan's Yukimi Sota said. According to Proofpoint, which says it analyses around a quarter of emails sent globally, the volume of nefarious emails started increasing sharply around the time when Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. There were 100 million to 200 million such emails sent each month before 2025, but that figure surged to more than 500 million per month this year, the company said. Many are phishing emails sent from addresses posing as securities firms. They guide recipients to fake websites that are used to steal personal information such as email addresses and passwords, giving hackers the ability to hijack accounts. If corporate email and security credentials are stolen, it could give attackers access to unauthorised internal communication systems on which further phishing emails can be sent. According to Sota, the majority of email scams targeting Japan used a specific cybercrime programme that uses the Chinese language. The number of such emails plunged during the Lunar New Year from late January to early February. "Their unprecedented scale and sophisticated methods raise a possibility of an organised attack led by a foreign government," Sota said, calling on Japanese companies to enhance cybersecurity measures such as adopting multi-factor authentication. - Bernama-Kyodo
Canada News.Net
19-07-2025
- Business
- Canada News.Net
Researchers: Hackers with China ties hit Taiwan chip supply
SUNNYVALE, California: Cyber espionage groups aligned with China have ramped up targeted attacks on Taiwan's semiconductor sector and industry analysts, according to new research released by cybersecurity firm Proofpoint. The analysis outlines an uptick in hacking campaigns between March and June, with activity from at least three China-linked groups, some of which remains ongoing. The intrusions are part of a broader effort to gather intelligence on Taiwan's chip industry as tensions rise over U.S. export controls and China's efforts to develop domestic semiconductor alternatives. "We've seen entities that we hadn't ever seen being targeted in the past being targeted," said Mark Kelly, a threat researcher at Proofpoint, based out of Sunnyvale, California. The campaigns have focused on 15 to 20 organizations, including small companies, global enterprises, and investment analysts, some working at a central U.S.-headquartered bank. The researchers declined to name the specific targets or confirm whether any attempts were successful. Hackers used varied techniques. In one case, attackers used compromised Taiwanese university email accounts to pose as job seekers, sending malicious PDFs or password-protected files to employees at semiconductor design and manufacturing firms. Another group posed as a fake investment firm targeting analysts focused on Taiwan's chip market. Proofpoint did not specify the companies affected, but Taiwan is home to major chipmakers including TSMC, MediaTek, UMC, Nanya, and RealTek. Most firms declined to comment or did not respond. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington said China opposes all forms of cybercrime and is also a victim of such threats. Taiwanese cybersecurity firm TeamT5 confirmed an increase in email-based attacks but noted they weren't yet widespread. It emphasized that semiconductors have long been a "constant interest" for advanced China-linked hacking groups. TeamT5 also cited a June case where a group called Amoeba targeted a chemical company tied to the semiconductor supply chain, highlighting hackers' interest in peripheral industries as well.
The Sun
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Over 80% of global scam emails targeted Japan in May: Report
TOKYO: More than 80 per cent of scam emails with identifiable senders targeted Japanese recipients in May, according to a US cybersecurity firm. The rise in sophisticated fraud is attributed to generative AI, which helps scammers craft more natural-sounding messages. Proofpoint analysed 240 million scam emails out of a record 770 million sent globally in May. The firm found that 81.4 per cent of these emails were aimed at Japanese speakers. 'Previously, fraudulent emails were easy to spot due to unnatural wording, but generative AI now helps create convincing messages,' said Yukimi Sota of Proofpoint Japan. The surge in malicious emails began around February 2022, coinciding with Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Before 2025, monthly scam emails ranged between 100 million and 200 million, but this year, the figure exceeded 500 million per month. Many of these emails impersonate securities firms, directing victims to fake websites to steal login credentials. If corporate emails are compromised, attackers can infiltrate internal systems and launch further phishing attacks. Sota noted that most scams targeting Japan used a Chinese-language cybercrime tool, with a noticeable drop during Lunar New Year. 'The scale suggests possible state-backed involvement,' he warned, urging businesses to adopt multi-factor authentication for better security. - Bernama-Kyodo
New Straits Times
19-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Over 80pct of scam emails globally targeted Japan in May: security firm
TOKYO: Over 80 per cent of email scams with identifiable senders targeted Japanese recipients in May, as advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) allow the use of more natural language, Kyodo News Agency reported citing US cybersecurity firm. Of the record-high 770 million scam emails sent globally in May, Proofpoint analysed 240 million containing sender data and found 81.4 per cent of those targeted Japanese speakers, the company said in a recent report. "Fraudulent emails were easily spotted previously because of unnatural wording, but the advancement of generative AI has helped produce natural sentences, enabling them to break through the language barrier," Proofpoint Japan's Yukimi Sota said. According to Proofpoint, which says it analyses around a quarter of emails sent globally, the volume of nefarious emails started increasing sharply around the time when Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. There were 100 million to 200 million such emails sent each month before 2025, but that figure surged to more than 500 million per month this year, the company said. Many are phishing emails sent from addresses posing as securities firms. They guide recipients to fake websites that are used to steal personal information such as email addresses and passwords, giving hackers the ability to hijack accounts. If corporate email and security credentials are stolen, it could give attackers access to unauthorised internal communication systems on which further phishing emails can be sent. Sota said the majority of email scams targeting Japan used a specific cybercrime programme that uses the Chinese language. The number of such emails plunged during the Lunar New Year from late January to early February. "Their unprecedented scale and sophisticated methods raise a possibility of an organised attack led by a foreign government," Sota said, calling on Japanese companies to enhance cybersecurity measures such as adopting multi-factor authentication. – Bernama-Kyodo
Barnama
19-07-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Over 80 Per Cent of Scam Emails Globally Targeted Japan In May: Security Firm
TOKYO, July 19 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- Over 80 per cent of email scams with identifiable senders targeted Japanese recipients in May, as advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) allow the use of more natural language, Kyodo News Agency reported citing US cybersecurity firm. Of the record-high 770 million scam emails sent globally in May, Proofpoint analysed 240 million containing sender data and found 81.4 per cent of those targeted Japanese speakers, the company said in a recent report. "Fraudulent emails were easily spotted previously because of unnatural wording, but the advancement of generative AI has helped produce natural sentences, enabling them to break through the language barrier," Proofpoint Japan's Yukimi Sota said. bootstrap slideshow According to Proofpoint, which says it analyses around a quarter of emails sent globally, the volume of nefarious emails started increasing sharply around the time when Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. There were 100 million to 200 million such emails sent each month before 2025, but that figure surged to more than 500 million per month this year, the company said. Many are phishing emails sent from addresses posing as securities firms. They guide recipients to fake websites that are used to steal personal information such as email addresses and passwords, giving hackers the ability to hijack accounts. If corporate email and security credentials are stolen, it could give attackers access to unauthorised internal communication systems on which further phishing emails can be sent. According to Sota, the majority of email scams targeting Japan used a specific cybercrime programme that uses the Chinese language. The number of such emails plunged during the Lunar New Year from late January to early February. "Their unprecedented scale and sophisticated methods raise a possibility of an organised attack led by a foreign government," Sota said, calling on Japanese companies to enhance cybersecurity measures such as adopting multi-factor authentication.
