Websense Inc. has announced it has discovered a spam and Web site spoofing campaign designed to fool people into thinking the U.S. has invaded Iran.
The San Diego-based messaging security vendor’s Security Labs ThreatSeeker Network announced Thursday the Storm Worm campaign has started “social engineering” campaign with this aim.
On a blog, Websense posted screen shots of spam messages making claims like “Negotiations between the USA and Iran have ended” and “US soldiers have occupied Iran.”
It also posted a screen shot of a spoof Web site which posts a videotape, allegedly taken by an American soldier, of a mushroom cloud presumably resulting from a nuclear weapon.
In a message to journalists, Websense stated: “Given recent tensions between the US and Iranian governments, and recent news about missile tests in Iran, users could be easy targets for this campaign.”
It’s true users could be “easy targets” for such a campaign – if they don't follow the news and believe everything they read in spam messages.Then again, if they don't follow the news, they probably think Iran is a song by A Flock of Seagulls.