The email message: "Annual Form - Authorization to Use Privately Owned Vehicle on State Business," is a fake and has a malicious attachment disguised as a form that will infect your Windows computer if you open it. The message was created by cyber-criminals to trick the recipients into opening the malicious attachment that contains a virus, by claiming that all employees need to complete the attached form.
The Virus Email Message
Subject: Annual Form - Authorization to Use Privately Owned Vehicle on State Business
Attachment: STD6.zip or Form_[*].zip containing
All employees need to have on file this form STD 261 (attached). The original is retained by supervisor and copy goes to Accounting.
Accounting need this form to approve mileage reimbursement.
The form can be used for multiple years, however it needs to re-signed annually by employee and supervisor.
Please confirm all employees that may travel using their private car on state business (including training) has a current STD 261 on file.
Not having a current copy of this form on file in Accounting may delay a travel reimbursement claim.
Remember the attachment is not a form. It is a compressed or Zip file that contains a virus. The compressed or Zipped file has one of the following malicious programs:
- STD_261_pdf.scr
- Form_20130810.exe
The cybercriminals behind the malicious email message aim is to trick the curious recipients into opening the malicious attachment, which will infect their computers with a virus or Trojan horse.
Once your computer has become infected with this malicious Trojan horse, the cybercriminals behind this email message will be able to access and take control of your computer remotely from anywhere around the world. They may spy on you, use your computer to commit cyber-crimes, or steal your personal and financial information.
Now, if you have already opened clicked on the link, downloaded and open the malicious file, please do a full scan of your computer with the antivirus software installed on it. The name of the attachment may change, so be careful when opening email attachments.
If you don’t have antivirus software installed on your computer, please click here for a list of free antivirus software.
Click here for a list of email attachments you should never open, regardless of where they came from.
For a list of other virus email messages, please click here.