Email from Intel Identity Consolidation - real or PHISHING ?

[MigryTech]

Sorry, I don't really know which forum area to post this in, so mods please move as required.

I recently received an email sent to my (unique) email address as registered with Altera (now acquired by Intel of course). The email account is unique and allowed me to confirm that this was the email account which I registered with Altera, and NO-ONE else.

The title in the graphic says "Security Matters".

There are lots of URLs. The problem is when I hover over them, not a single one includes "intel.com" but they have long weird and wacky URLs and to me looks like a well designed PHISHING email. There is no way whatsoever I am going to click on ANY of these links.

One URL can be read and starts https://login.microsoftoneline.com/etc.... but when hovered over shows a different link. This is CLASSIC phishing email way of tricking the receiver to click on the innocuous link, which is hiding the dangerous link. Why on earth would Intel show Microsoft in the FAKE URL ???

I have made multiple Twitter postings but the Intel "twits" having initially showed interest and asked for a screen shot, have now GHOSTED me.

For example the "Intel Customer Support" link is https://u11087391.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=wOR6BGsLK9U8rmZUpk1tg41q9hDJPfkor3lPBXBevchvfDNXv-2FCPqKgKvFyubldg3Jq3srXq3hnDxUeqhXNImv1OC7y-2Fk0jILoqELSLgSqKUusqHz08AiEC-2BfdmkzDpKVaaeNn_HoZvLqGpk4JfKQ7nktNDEd26lxI22jN3K1iHFzPKKM4OX2v6tqAuQUcfhgBtfixFKBFhP2NcTp7nlvc4ioII46nfS9TdW3kKCrLW7d-2Bh2r-2BX8ACc8OEP0fK5Ofva5ps2noTiwjKJalLECW0koG1LX6VqsGDHLZ...

Would you click on that link? NOTE: it is mangled/changed for YOUR safety.

Now here's the kicker....

In order to make this posting I had to log in. I was forced to go through some wierd procedure to enhance security, which appears to tie in with the PHISHING email. So perhaps it is a genuine email?

Having logged into the forum, it does appear that Intel have moved over to some unfriendly Microsoft based system, and might well explain why "Microsoft" was seen in the fake URL (I say fake as when hovered over it reveals the true UTL which does not point to Microsoft).

If this IS a genuine email from Intel then IMO the chief IT officer needs to get the sack, for sending out an email full of super dodgy links which to all purposes are exactly the same format as you see in phishing emails. 

It's totally bonkers to send out an email about "SECURITY MATTERS" and then fill the email full of phishing like URLs.

We train ordinary (non computer literate) people to be VERY suspicious of URLs embedded in emails and unless 100% confident to NEVER click on them.  We make a point of saying that if when hovered over the URL which is revealed does not match the one printed, then this is a MASSIVE red flag and DO NOT CLICK ON THIS LINK.

If this is a phishing email then Intel must have leaked my email address.

If this is a genuine email from Intel, which I now lean towards having logged into this forum(!!!), then Intel should be ASHAMED at creating an email which has all the hallmarks of a PHISHING email.

[MarkDBrooke]

I'm shocked to have rec'd this email, too. It has all the hallmarks of a phishing email!!! Almost reported it to our Cyber Security Office. 

Google Searched 'Intel Identity Consolidation' and this post is the literally the ONLY thing I found on it.

So, in an effort to reply to this post, I had to go through the process of enrolling and adding MFA to Azure using MS Authenticator which I already use. Felt a lot safer doing that rather than clinking anything in that email. 

[MigryTech]

Thank you Mark !

I'm so relieved to hear that someone else thinks the same way as me, that the "Intel" email (yet to be confirmed of course) fails all basic security rules. Sort of ironic given the subject matter

[_AK6DN_]

I didn't receive the email recently, but I did have to discard my old user id AK6DN and start a new one _AK6DN_ because of this whole login fiasco nonsense.

It is now harder to log in to a frickin Intel user forum than it is my frickin bank.

Why is this? It is just a forum FFS.

Each time it logs me out I have to login to intel, then into microsoftonline, then use an authenticator app.

Intel your IT folks are on some kind of power trip for no good reason.

I really hate responding to posts here because of this new login BS.

[MigryTech]

Hi AK6DN. I recognise your "call sign" even though I am an infrequent visitor to this forum.

I know that security is important, but as you say it's only a user forum.

I also lost my handle.

When I logged in a few minutes ago

1) I was sent an email to my registered email address, with a PIN

2) I was then send another PIN to my mobile phone.

At least I didn't have to remember my password !

Then the website appeared to hang up and it was a minute or so before I could do anything.

Not an ideal user experience hi-hi.

[BoonBengT_Intel]

Hi @MigryTech,

Thank you for posting in Intel community forum and hope all is well.

Apologies for the inconvenient caused from all the account and login unpleasant experiences.

This is part of our better digital experiences transformation, for those account/login related challenges, we do have a dedicated team which will assist you through the issues encounter to solved them.

Below are the details for the different channel available:

- Ticket: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/forms/support/my-intel-sign-on-support.html

- Chat: https://intelsupportchat.secure.force.com/icslivechat/ICS_A_E_English_Chat_Page

- Phone: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/topics/support-phone-list.html

Note: there is also live FAQ that is available for references. (https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/topics/azure-sign-in-faq.html)

Please login to ‘https://supporttickets.intel.com’, view details of the desire request, and post a feed/response within the next 15 days to allow me to continue to support you. After 15 days, this thread will be transitioned to community support.

Thank you for the questions and as always pleasure having you here.

Best Wishes

BB

[MigryTech]

The issue of the "experience" logging into the forum, is secondary.

The MAIN issue, which you have not addressed is the validity of the email.

I still have NO CONFIRMATION from Intel that this is a genuine Intel email.

I will also point out, with some annoyance, that Intel Twitter support, when I reported this issue, GHOSTED me.

If the email is a PHISHING email then... there has been a leak of customer information from Intel.

If the email is a genuine email from Intel (which I now lean towards), then using URLs which have every appearance of PHISHING type URLs, is an act of gross stupidity, and the person responsible needs to get the sack. Given that this email purports to be about SECURITY, it is IRONIC that there is no way a receiver of this email can verify that it really is a genuine email sent from Intel. 

I hope that anyone else receiving this email realises that it is VERY DANGEROUS to click on any links/URLs found in emails, that are suspicious. 

There is no reason that the links in the email should not use the "intel.com" domain, which would give confidence that the link is genuine, however it is well known that PHISHING style emails have one or two DANGEROUS links, and other links such as for "Contact Us" or "Privacy" have genuine URLs which point back to the company which is being imitated. 

Due to stupidity by IT, it is getting difficult to identify genuine emails/messages. I recently received a text to my phone, purporting to be from my medical practice, when clicked on, asks for my date of birth, "to validate that it is me". Again it was likely this was a genuine text, but there is no way I am entering those type of details without 100% certainty of the origin of the text message.

[AlHill]

Even if an email had "intel.com" as the sender's domain, you still could never be sure it came from intel.  

As far as your belief that Intel is "ghosting" you, I would find that hard to believe.  Perhaps ignoring you is a better term.

You are wise to raise concerns and be cautious of emails.  However, extreme focus on such matters can lead to paranoia.

Just my 2¢.

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Maybe Windows 12 will be better]

[BoonBengT_Intel]

Hi @MigryTech,

Noted and apologies for the troubled caused, understood the problem here on the confusion of the confirmation email.

However would advise to engaged with the channels mention below, as they would have better clearance to validate on accounts/email on related matter and more accurate advise to the next steps or the validity of the email mention.

Hope that clarify

Best Wishes

BB