Hungary faces cyberattack using Prosecution Office impersonation

The National Cyber Security Institute (NKI) has issued a warning regarding a new cyberattack targeting users in Hungary. Fraudulent actors are sending deceptive emails impersonating the Prosecution Office, often using the names of real employees to increase credibility.

These emails reference official proceedings and direct recipients to a link that leads to a fake website designed to mimic the official Prosecution Office domain. Once on the site, victims are prompted to download a document that is actually a malicious file. If executed, a ransomware virus encrypts files—including documents, images, and archives—that typically feature the prefix ‘ZEROLED’. The attackers then demand a ransom for the restoration of the files.

Experts note that while official emails from the Prosecution Office use ‘mku.hu’ addresses, these fraudulent messages are sent from ‘@outlook.hu’ accounts. The NKI advises users not to click links or download files from suspicious emails and to verify communications directly with the relevant organization. If a device is compromised, the NKI recommends immediately disconnecting it from the network.