The Domain Disk Quota Scam: What to Watch Out For

Beware the Disk Quota Scam: How to Protect Your Website from Phishing Attacks

I recently received an email claiming that my website was reaching its storage capacity. At first glance, it looked legitimate because it came from my own domain and mentioned cPanel, which is related to my website hosting. It caught me off guard, and I clicked the link. Fortunately, I have an unsafe website blocker on my browser, which warned me that it was an unsafe link.

At first, it was confusing because I know my website is safe, but then the scam red flags started to appear. I went back and looked more carefully at the links, and they didn’t seem right, so I did some digging. It turns out this is a variation of the “email storage capacity” scam that’s been circulating. There are many variations of these storage capacity scams, including ones for iCloud, Gmail, Dropbox, and more. Website owners are also being targeted by these storage capacity scams.

The "Your Domain Has Reached Its Disk Quota" Scam

Here’s an example of the email I received claiming my domain has reached its disk quota:

Disk quota notification for “yourdomain.com”.

The domain “yourdomain.com” has reached their disk quota.

The account currently uses 96.51% of its disk capacity.

You should follow the link bellow to auto extend your disk capacity for free as soon as possible in order to prevent the loss of any files and future emails. Use the Disk Capacity tool at (link removed).

The system generated this notice on 2024/05/31 17:15:57.

You can disable the “User Disk Usage Warning” type of notification through the cPanel interface: (link removed).

Do not reply to this automated message.

What is the Website Disk Quota or Storage Capacity Scam About?

These emails are fake and intended for phishing—they are not sent by cPanel on your server. They are cleverly disguised to look like they come from your own server, aiming to deceive you. The goal is to trick you into visiting a fake website and entering your cPanel login credentials. If you fall for this and provide your information, the attackers will steal your cPanel login credentials. Given the many variations of the storage capacity or disk quota scam, other website platforms may also be targeted.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Website

To protect yourself against the cPanel storage capacity or disk quota scam, consider the following steps:

Verify the Sender: Always check the sender’s email address carefully. Legitimate emails from cPanel (or your own domain) will come from official domains, not unfamiliar or suspicious ones. Checking email headers is a good idea as well. It will give you the domain name of the sender and their IP address which you can block from accessing your site.
Look for Red Flags: Be wary of emails with urgent language, poor grammar, or unexpected attachments and links. Here
Hover Over Links: Before clicking on any link, hover your mouse over it to see the actual URL. Ensure it matches the legitimate website and doesn’t contain any misspellings or odd characters.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Adding an extra layer of security to your cPanel account makes it much harder for attackers to gain access, even if they have your login credentials.
Use Security Software: Install and maintain updated antivirus and anti-malware software including a firewall to detect and block phishing attempts.
Keep Software Updated: Ensure your server and all related software are up-to-date with the latest security patches.
Educate Yourself and Your Team: Regularly train yourself and your team to recognize phishing attempts and understand best practices for email security.
Contact Support: If you’re unsure about an email’s legitimacy, contact your server’s support team directly before taking any action.

Stay Vigilant and Secure Your Credentials

Safeguarding your cPanel login credentials from phishing scams is essential for maintaining the security of your server. By staying vigilant, verifying email authenticity, using two-factor authentication, and keeping your software up-to-date, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to these scams. Educating yourself and your team on recognizing phishing attempts is equally important. When in doubt, always reach out to your server’s support team for confirmation. By taking these precautions, you can ensure the protection of your sensitive information and keep your server secure. Stay proactive and stay safe.