During the past few weeks, LayerX Labs identified a phishing campaign that impersonates legitimate DocuSign emails, attempting to trick victims into revealing sensitive information. Here’s what happened, and how LayerX prevented a potential security disaster.
It started like any other Monday morning. Sarah, a senior account manager (a fictional character for illustration purposes), was going through her inbox when she noticed an email that seemed important: “New Doc arrived for your review.” The sender, tjames@airportshuttlegroup[.]com, had sent what appeared to be a DocuSign document requiring immediate attention.
Sarah, who regularly handles confidential contracts, almost clicked on the attachment. However, LayerX’s real-time email scanning system immediately flagged something suspicious.
What Sarah didn’t know was that this innocent-looking email was actually part of a sophisticated phishing campaign. The attachment wasn’t a legitimate DocuSign document at all – it was a cleverly disguised trap containing a link to a fake Google login page. Had she clicked through, she would have been presented with what appeared to be a standard Google sign-in form, potentially exposing her corporate credentials to cybercriminals.
LayerX to the Rescue
So what allowed the attack to bypass Google’s email gateway and phishing filters?
- Zero-hour phishing attempt – The email patterns used in the attack were not recognized in existing databases of known threats.
- Unknown malicious URL – The attack’s malicious URL was not listed in any of the databases or feeds tracking known harmful links.
- Legitimate email appearance – The email successfully mimicked a legitimate DocuSign notification, making it appear authentic.
- Sophisticated phishing website – The attacker implemented a CAPTCHA on the phishing site, which, by mimicking a legitimate site, bypassed many anti-phishing defenses designed to inspect websites.
This incident isn’t isolated: LayreX has been observing an increasing trend of sophisticated phishing attempts that leverage trusted brands like DocuSign. These attacks are becoming increasingly more convincing, using social engineering tactics that can fool even the most security-conscious employees.
Specifically, the DocuSign attack seems to be part of a larger campaign in which hackers have been abusing DocuSign’s API to fraudulently generate legitimate-looking invoices. However, LayerX was able to detect and block this attempt even before the details of the attack campaign became known.
How LayerX Keeps You Protected
Our multi-layered security approach means you’re protected at every possible point of attack:
Our Email Security Gateway analyzes incoming messages in real-time, looking for subtle signs of phishing that might escape human attention. It goes beyond simple spam filtering, using advanced AI to understand the context and intent of communications.
The Browser Security Shield acts as your last line of defense, protecting you even if a malicious link makes it through. It automatically detects and blocks phishing pages, fake login forms, and other web-based threats before they can do any harm.
Our Real-Time Threat Intelligence Network means that when we detect a new phishing attempt targeting one client, all LayerX users are instantly protected against it. It’s like having a global security team working 24/7 to keep you safe.
A Happy Ending
Thanks to LayerX’s protection, Sarah’s story ended well. The phishing attempt was blocked, logged, and reported to our threat intelligence network. Our security team was able to analyze the attack pattern and strengthen our defenses even further.
But not everyone has this level of protection. Every day, businesses lose sensitive data, money, and reputation to increasingly sophisticated phishing attacks. Don’t wait until it’s too late.
Don’t let your organization be the next phishing success story. LayerX’s comprehensive security suite provides the protection you need against today’s sophisticated email and web-based threats. Contact us today to learn how we can help secure your business against phishing attacks like this one.
Remember: cybersecurity isn’t just about technology – it’s about protecting your people, your data, and your business. Let LayerX be your partner in that mission.
