Government issues warning over ISIS email scam

THE Australian Communications and Media Authority is warning of a new email threat using a specific subject line to lure in unsuspecting Aussies.

AN email scam is using the threat of a terror attack in Sydney to spread a malicious attachment.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority is advising users to be cautious about opening any emails that refer to an “ISIS threat” after receiving a surge in reports of emails with the subject “ISIS attacks in sydney?”.

“New emails referring to ISIS terrorism activities carry a malicious attachment that can be used to infect your computer,” a warning from the government’s Stay Smart Online service reads.

“Clicking on the attachment could result in malicious code being installed that allows an attacker to take control of your computer.”

The Australian Government has issues a warning.

The email claims to have attached information about new attacks by the terrorism outfit in Sydney, and falsely cites Australian Police and includes contact details for news.com.au in an attempt to appear legitimate.

“ISIS has warned Australian Police today about new attacks in Sydney,” the body of the email reads.

“Attached the places in word file which ISIS planning to attack in Sydney this year 2015.”

Users are warned not to open the email or the attached files.

Islamic State representatives appear to have hacked US Central Command’s social media accounts.

The scam comes as a group declaring sympathy for Islamic State jihadists has hacked US Central Command’s Twitter account and YouTube page, posting internal military documents online.

The self-declared Cybercaliphate “is already here, we are in your PCs, in each military base,” the hackers wrote on the seized Twitter feed for Centcom, which oversees the US-led air war against the group in Iraq and Syria.

The Pentagon swiftly suspended the Twitter and YouTube accounts and said no classified material was breached.