FBI PIN: Business Email Compromise Actors Targeting Governments, Straining Resources

The FBI has published a Private Industry Notification (PIN) advising that it observed increased in business email compromise (BEC) actors targeting state, local, tribal, and territorial government entities for financial gain due to vulnerability exploitation and transparency requirements. It adds that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these challenges as many government entities shifted a significant portion of their workforce to remote work. This product provides a threat overview and series of recommendations mitigations, categorized by those for a general audience and for information technology administrators. It also encourages partners to report suspicious or criminal activity to their local FBI field office or the FBI’s 24/7 CyberWatch (CyWatch) at (855)292-3937 or Cy*****@*bi.gov.