The Maryland Judiciary has issued a warning to the public regarding a computer virus distributed through an email scam falsely claiming to involve a court case. The fraudulent emails alert recipients about an upcoming court case, but in reality, they contain malicious software that infects computers when attachments are opened or links are clicked. These emails do not originate from the courts and are unrelated to any legitimate court cases.
Judicial Information Systems (JIS), the technology department of the Judiciary, reports that these emails appear to come from various random sources. Recipients might see subject lines such as “Hearing of your case in Court” or “Notice to Appear in Court.” An example provided by JIS includes a notification for a hearing supposedly scheduled in Washington on January 9, 2014.
Recipients are advised not to open attachments, click on links, or attempt to unsubscribe from these emails, as doing so could install malware onto their computers. Instead, it is recommended that such emails be deleted immediately.
JIS experts caution that if a computer becomes infected, attackers may gain remote access and control over the system. This could lead to spying on online activities, committing cybercrimes, or stealing personal and financial information.
For further guidance on protecting against email scams and malware threats, JIS suggests consulting resources like “Recognizing and Avoiding Email Scams” available on the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) website.