Email Forgeries

The potential for forgery is high with email.  It doesn't take much know-how to make a message look like it came from someone else.  Say you got a message like this:

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Subject: Your breath smells
   From: Natasha
     To: Garth

Garth,

Have I told you what a rotten person you are?  And to make it even worse, your breath smells like low tide.  I hope I never have to see you again.  Oh, by the way, you're fired.  

Natasha

~

Let's say this comes as something of a surprise, since you just met with Natasha and she gave you a spectacular review.  Besides, you always use breath mints.  It's reasonable to expect that someone may have forged this message.  Before you start looking for boxes to clean out your desk, or before you go into Natasha's office in a postal kind of rage, it would behoove you to make sure it really did come from her.  

While the above scenario is annoying and may cause your mischievous co-workers to be overcome with mirth, consider the following message:

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Subject: We need more widgets
   From: Natasha Jones - National Thingy Distributors
     To: Garth Gadwall

Garth,

We just got a really big order for Thingys. I need 100,000 widgets right away.  Please ship immediately and send me the invoice.  

This is critical!  

Natasha

PS.  By the way, I'll be leaving the office in a few moments.  I'll be back day after tomorrow if you have any questions.  Thanks for all of your help.  Natasha

~

If you're a sales rep, this is the kind of message that you just love to get.  But let's consider this.  When was the last time Natasha ever ordered anything by email?  And isn't the company named Nationwide Thingy Distributors?  And wouldn't shipping 100,000 widgets cut your inventory in half just as the busy season is ramping up?

A call to Natasha, or to someone at Nationwide, would not be a bad idea.  Relying on email for a critical business decision isn't the most prudent thing to do.

Here's another example where accepting an email on faith will get you into trouble:

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Subject: Your account
   From: BillWilkle@visa-security.com
     To: garthgadwall@gadwall.com

Mr. Gadwall,

Due to a complete and unanticipated failure of our X.27 circuits between our Digital 390 server farm and our off-site disaster recovery facility, and the concurrent loss of some key backup data stored at our facility that was just hit with Typhoon Seymour that you've probably heard about, we need to make a request.

We need to restore lost information about your account as soon as possible in order to prevent your credit from being unduly damaged by fraudulent use.  Please provide us with the following information:

Your credit card number:
Expiration date:
Name on card:

And for confirmation purposes

Your billing address:
Your mother's maiden name:

Thank you for your cooperation.  We hope to have your account reinstated momentarily.

~

Be very wary of any emails that ask you for personal information and "sound" legitimate. 

Emails can be forged - easily.  So if you're asked to make a major decision, or provide confidential information in response to an email, confirm that it's real - and confirm again.  And don't use the phone number they provide in the message.

By the way, a note to the folks at Visa.  As I write this, visa-security.com was available for registration. 

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