FDIC/Verisign Fraud Alert

Date: 2/22/2007

FDIC Special Alert - Fraudulent E-Mails Claiming to Be From the FDIC (SA-46-2007).

Document Type: Fraud

Description: E-mails fraudulently claiming to be from the FDIC or VeriSign, Inc. are attempting to deceive financial institutions into installing unknown software on their computer networks.


The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has become aware of e-mails that appear to be sent from the FDIC or VeriSign, Inc. and ask recipients to run a "security guard script" to secure Web sites. Currently, the e-mails are purportedly from "FDIC Legal Information Technology," "FDIC Information Security," or "Verisign Inc." and the subject lines include the phrase "Regular Security Maintenance" or "Regular Hosting Security Maintenance." The e-mails are fraudulent and were not sent by the FDIC or VeriSign, Inc.

The fraudulent e-mails state that "to secure your websites, please use the attached file and (for UNIX/Linux Based servers) upload the file "vprotect.php" in: "./public_html" or (for Windows Based servers) in: "./wwwroot" in your site." The e-mails also provide instructions for recipients who "do not know how to use" the file.

The FDIC is working with the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team to determine the exact effects of the executable file. Recipients should consider this file to be a malicious attempt to collect personal or confidential information. Financial institutions and consumers should NOT download the executable file attached to the e-mails. Consumers and financial institutions should report any similar situations by following the procedures below.

Information about counterfeit items, cyber-fraud incidents and other fraudulent activity may be forwarded to the FDIC's Cyber-Fraud and Financial Crimes Section, 550 17th Street, N.W., Room F-4004, Washington, D.C. 20429, or transmitted electronically to alert@fdic.gov. Questions related to federal deposit insurance or consumer issues should be submitted to the FDIC using an online form that can be accessed at http://www2.fdic.gov/starsmail/index.asp.

Using caution with your private information is the best way you can help prevent being victimized. Visit our MoneySense page for additional tips to help protect yourself against identity theft.