Stated Tom Hess Information Analyst in the Physics Department, the fake electronic mail tells users of WebCT, a system on the Internet that provides an environment for proprietary virtual education that there's no more space in their mailbox to store messages therefore they require revalidating prior to receiving/sending e-mails. Dailylobo.com reported this.

The e-mail then states that to fulfill the above requirement users must click on a web-link in the e-mail. The web-link, reportedly, has a New Zealand situated server acting its host.

Says Hess that the website to which the link is connected is created to appear same as other login web-pages; therefore those accessing it enter personal usernames and passwords. But soon they're prompted to change their login details, so the details may be subsequently stolen.

Hess said that there had been earlier instances too when e-mail fraud exploited people's apprehensions and UNM's database. Meanwhile, the new scam e-mails seemed ironic because the recipients were told that certain security breach had occurred therefore they must reset their passwords.

And because the above kind of scam e-mails are so malicious, security researchers recommend certain security measures for end-users. First, users mustn't reply to e-mails, which looking like messages from a genuine academic institution, ask for their private information. It's important that people keep in their minds that such genuine institutions wouldn't ever request for updating or confirming personal account particulars over electronic mail.

Second, users mustn't click any web-link given in an e-mail for accessing any mentioned site rather they should manually enter the URL address by typing it into the browser like in the current instance of UNM, users should directly go to the UNM website.

Third, users mustn't create their passwords too personal instead set passwords which contain numbers and alphabets unassociated with anyone, so they cannot be easily cracked.

Finally, users must deploy high-quality filters so the aforementioned kind of scam e-mails may get blocked from getting into their inboxes.