Over 80 per cent of scam emails globally targeted Japan in May: security firm
Of the record-high 770 million scam emails sent globally in May, Proofpoint analysed 240 million containing sender data and found 81.4 per cent of those targeted Japanese speakers, the company said in a recent report.
"Fraudulent emails were easily spotted previously because of unnatural wording, but the advancement of generative AI has helped produce natural sentences, enabling them to break through the language barrier," Proofpoint Japan's Yukimi Sota said.
According to Proofpoint, which says it analyses around a quarter of emails sent globally, the volume of nefarious emails started increasing sharply around the time when Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
There were 100 million to 200 million such emails sent each month before 2025, but that figure surged to more than 500 million per month this year, the company said.
Many are phishing emails sent from addresses posing as securities firms. They guide recipients to fake websites that are used to steal personal information such as email addresses and passwords, giving hackers the ability to hijack accounts.
If corporate email and security credentials are stolen, it could give attackers access to unauthorised internal communication systems on which further phishing emails can be sent.
According to Sota, the majority of email scams targeting Japan used a specific cybercrime programme that uses the Chinese language. The number of such emails plunged during the Lunar New Year from late January to early February.
"Their unprecedented scale and sophisticated methods raise a possibility of an organised attack led by a foreign government," Sota said, calling on Japanese companies to enhance cybersecurity measures such as adopting multi-factor authentication. - Bernama-Kyodo
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
11 minutes ago
- The Star
AKPS detains two officers for 'Flying Passport' activity at CIQ Complex
JOHOR BARU: The Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) has detained two enforcement officers at the Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex at the Sultan Iskandar Building (BSI) over suspected involvement in the notorious "Flying Passport" activity. The agency's BSI CIQ commander Roszita Dim said the male suspects are aged 31 and 49 and were detained on Friday (July 25) following a covert surveillance operation by the AKPS compliance unit that began at 3pm on the same day. "Our operation targeted the team on duty at the CIQ complex, where suspicious activity was first detected around 7.30pm at the vehicle zone counter at the entry checkpoint. "Investigators observed several questionable entries of visitor data using an officer's login credentials at the counter, including data linked to foreign nationals flagged as problematic visitors. "These entries triggered manual data correction actions by one of the suspects," she said at a press conference held within BSI CIQ on Saturday (July 26). Roszita added that at around 9pm, another instance of suspicious data clearance involving a problematic visitor was detected, this time using a supervisor's user ID stationed in the motorcycle zone. "A search at the vehicle zone counter uncovered RM2,800 in cash and two mobile phones in one of the suspect's possession. "The investigation then led to a concealed stash of 14 foreign passports, with 11 belonging to Chinese nationals and three to Indonesian nationals, hidden inside a black bag above the ceiling at another counter," she said. Further inspection at the motorcycle zone revealed two additional mobile phones belonging to the other suspect, which were seized for further examination. Both suspects were detained on the spot and handed over to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Johor at 10am on Saturday (July 26) for further action. "Investigation against the two suspects is ongoing, including whether there is a syndicate behind this. We have reported the case to the agency's integrity unit head at AKPS headquarters in Putrajaya," she added. Roszita said AKPS is committed to upholding integrity and rooting out misconduct, particularly corruption, among enforcement officers and department personnel at the country's border entry points.
Sinar Daily
35 minutes ago
- Sinar Daily
Family recipe builds muruku brand with global appeal
It uses natural ingredients, with no artificial colouring and entirely free from eggs, anchovies, or any animal-based products, making it ideal for those following a vegetarian diet. 26 Jul 2025 01:02pm Idris Alias, 67, and his wife, Fatimah Ishak, 63, from Guar Perahu, here, started their small home-based business in 1984 after she inherited a muruku recipe from her mother-in-law. Photo by Bernama BUKIT MERTAJAM - Armed with a cherished family recipe, a husband-and-wife duo turned their humble beginnings into a thriving muruku business, attracting customers from both Malaysia and abroad. Idris Alias, 67, and his wife, Fatimah Ishak, 63, from Guar Perahu, here, started their small home-based business in 1984 after she inherited a muruku recipe from her mother-in-law. "I was seven months pregnant at the time, so we only made small batches of the crunchy snack. We had very little capital to start with. But I gave it a go, taking orders from friends. "From those early days making muruku at home, we managed to grow the business under the brand name 'Muruku Bonda'. Nine years ago, we opened a shop in Kubang Semang, funded by profits we steadily reinvested,' Fatimah told Bernama. Idris Alias, 67, and his wife, Fatimah Ishak, 63, from Guar Perahu, here, started their small home-based business in 1984 after she inherited a muruku recipe from her mother-in-law. Photo by Bernama She said that Muruku Bonda uses natural ingredients, with no artificial colouring and entirely free from eggs, anchovies, or any animal-based products, making it ideal for those following a vegetarian diet. Interestingly, over 85 per cent of their customers are from the Chinese community, making Chinese New Year their peak sales period. "We even received orders from Taiwan at one point, but had to turn them down because the shipping costs were too high. Still, the customer flew over themselves and bought in bulk to take home,' she added. Currently, the couple operates with just two frying machines -- usually only one runs on regular days, producing around 150 kilogrammes (kg) of muruku daily, increasing to 200kg during festive periods. Idris shared that their son and daughter-in-law now help run the family business. One of their main challenges, he explained, is limited operating space, which makes it difficult to meet growing demand. They even had to decline an offer to stock Muruku Bonda in a major convenience store chain. Nonetheless, the couple remain determined to expand into a larger facility in the future, with hopes of passing the business down to their only child. "My advice to young entrepreneurs is to understand your product and your customers, and to have patience. That is vital in the business world. "Most importantly, as Muslims, we must remember to give charity and pay zakat. That's the key to lasting blessings. Not just in wealth, but also in health,' Idris said. - BERNAMA More Like This
The Star
41 minutes ago
- The Star
Where's Jho Low? Looking for 1MDB fugitive in Shanghai's luxury estate
SHANGHAI: Across the Huangpu River in Pudong, behind high fences and dense greenery, lies a sprawling enclave with over 400 Tudor-style bungalows, manicured gardens and tree-lined roads dotted with Teslas, Jaguars and other luxury cars. This exclusive gated compound, which more closely resembles the quaint English countryside than a Chinese megacity, is where Malaysian financial fugitive Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, is allegedly living, according to the journalists who first exposed the 1MDB scandal. On July 19, investigative duo Bradley Hope and Tom Wright, in a live stream titled Finding Jho Low, claimed that Low lives in Green Hills, an upscale residential compound in Shanghai. They also alleged that Low is using a forged Australian passport under the Greek alias 'Constantinos Achilles Veis' to travel freely within China, citing evidence from unnamed sources and newly obtained documents. Hope and Wright are former journalists at The Wall Street Journal who played key roles in uncovering the multi-billion-dollar fraud that resulted in the imprisonment of former Malaysian prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for corruption and money laundering. Low's whereabouts have remained a mystery since he disappeared in 2016, fuelling years of speculation. When The Straits Times visited the Green Hills compound over two days, residents spoke of a quiet residential estate where neighbours rarely cross paths or interact due to the sprawling grounds. Three residents told ST that they have heard of celebrities and 'famous businessmen' who live in the estate but all said they did not know who and did not care to find out. A resident, whose house is located right by the estate's side gate, told ST that he barely recognises anyone who lives in the compound, including his next-door neighbour, as their houses are separated by large gardens. 'The only time I ever went through the whole estate was when I first moved here five years ago to check out the surroundings; now I just enter the gate and go straight into my home,' he said. This reporter was unable to enter the estate as security guards at all three entrances required visitors to provide the house number they were visiting as well as the surname of the family living there. Built in 2004, the 410,000 sqm Green Hills compound is a residential enclave favoured by wealthy locals and expats, largely because there are two international schools – Dulwich and Concordia – in the vicinity. It is surrounded by other similarly luxurious landed home compounds and sits by a river where people occasionally kayak. Property agents who are actively marketing the homes for rent told ST that a key feature is the double-height ceiling living room, which allows for large gatherings. Marketing videos on Chinese social media platforms show that many of these three-storey homes are opulently appointed and typically have between four and eight bedrooms. Monthly rental for a standalone bungalow – the largest house type with up to 500 sqm of internal floor area – is between 70,000 yuan (US$9,785) and 100,000 yuan, agents said. The selling price for one of these is between 70 million yuan and 150 million yuan. Rental for a semi-detached house is around 40,000 yuan while that for a terrace house, referred to as a townhouse in China, is around 30,000 yuan. Outside Green Hills, a resident who was getting on a shared bicycle told ST that the bulk of the people who live there are families whose children attend the international schools, or are older Chinese who do not need to fret over money, like her parents. 'Basically every household here has at least two cars, one everyday car like a BMW or Mercedes-Benz, and the other is more fancy… maybe a sports car,' she said, adding that she is 'not one of them' as she is living under her parents' roof. When asked if she had heard of Low's alleged residence in the compound, she said no. 'All kinds of people live around here, I don't really care who they are as long as my life is not disrupted.' Rumours that Low is living in China have swirled since at least 2019, when a photo purportedly showing him at Shanghai Disneyland on Christmas Eve emerged online. China has consistently denied sheltering him or having knowledge of his location. ST has contacted the Shanghai authorities for comments. Low, who has repeatedly claimed his innocence, has been wanted by multiple jurisdictions, including Malaysia, Singapore and the United States, since 2016 for his alleged role in siphoning an estimated US$4.5 billion (S$5.77 billion) from 1MDB, Malaysia's sovereign fund. Low is accused of pocketing US$1.42 billion from three bond transactions that Goldman Sachs arranged for 1MDB. On July 24, Malaysian Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that the report about Low's location and the passport he allegedly is using is 'not supported by credible proof'. In response to the report, Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued a statement warning that passport fraud is a serious offence under Australian law. In 2023, Malaysia's anti-graft regulator told Qatari news network Al Jazeera in a written response that it suspected Low to be hiding in the Chinese special administrative region of Macau. The scandal, described by the United States Justice Department as the largest case of kleptocracy it had ever investigated, first came to public attention in 2015 when reports emerged that nearly US$700 million was suspected to have been transferred from 1MDB into then-Prime Minister Najib Razak's personal bank account. US prosecutors claim that more than US$4.5 billion was ultimately embezzled from the fund by high-level officials of the fund and their associates, with the money laundered through a global network of shell companies and bank accounts. The stolen funds were allegedly used to finance Low's extravagant lifestyle spanning jewellery, fine art, luxury real estate, a superyacht, lavish parties and even the production of the Hollywood film The Wolf of Wall Street. - The Straits Times/ANN
