A self-styled “email prankster” has managed to fool multiple White House officials by using spear-phishing tactics that are popularly used by hackers to dupe people inside an organization into exposing credentials that allow access into computer systems.
The success of these pranks proves, according to various experts consulted by CNN, that the United States government remains vulnerable to the various intrusions and threats of the cyber domain.
The U.K.-based prankster shared the email conversations to CNN, revealing that not only was the short-lived White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci affected by the prank, but White House cybersecurity official Tom Bossert was fooled enough to give out his personal email.
The intentions of the self-described “lazy anarchist” were not malicious. Rather, the email prankster told CNN, “I try and keep it on the humorous side of things. I’m not trying to get the keys to the vault or anything like that.”
Some of the pranks, however, appear to have played a role in inciting tension between individuals, specifically between Scaramucci and previous White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus. The prankster masqueraded as Priebus, initiating an exchange of emails with an accusation of hypocrisy and claiming that Scaramucci never “acted in a way that’s even remotely classy” and that Priebus had “nothing to apologize for.” To which Scaramucci replied “Read Shakespeare. Particularly Othello. You are right there.”
Scaramucci was tricked a second time by the email prankster, pretending to be Ambassador to Russia-delegate Jon Huntsman Jr., where Scaramucci was asked “who’s (sic) head should roll first? Maybe I can help things along somewhat.”
Scaramucci responded, “Both of them,” referring to Priebus and White House Senior Adviser Steve Bannon, according to CNN. The conversation concluded with Scaramucci asking the bogus Huntsman, “Are you in Moscow now? If not please visit.”
The email prankster took two more victims before concluding his reign: Huntsman and Eric Trump. Trump, however, caught on to the scam and responded, “I have sent this to law enforcement who will handle it from here.”
The email prankster has yet to hear from law enforcement and continues to post his pranks under the name @SINON_REBORN.
