Email bomb

Email bomb definition

Email bombing is a cyberattack where cybercriminals send large volumes of messages to an email address to overwhelm it. Their goal is typically to disable the victim’s email or hide important messages, such as security alerts, in the flood of emails. The intended target may not always be the recipient of the email bomb — attackers may also target random email accounts to crash the server hosting them and cause widespread disruption.

How email bombing works

Email bombing works by using automated tools to send massive volumes of emails to a specific email address or server. These tools can quickly generate and send thousands or even millions of messages, overwhelming the recipient’s inbox or the server’s capacity.

The goal of email bombing 

The goal of email bombing is to disrupt communication by overwhelming the inbox and making it difficult to manage. A successful email bombing account might result in an account suspension because some email providers block bombed accounts. Email bombing can also flood the inbox to hide other malicious activities and overload the email server, preventing access for all users, similar to a DDoS attack.

Types of email bomb attacks

1. 1.Mass mailing attack. In this attack, the attacker uses automated scripts or botnets to send a massive volume of emails to a single target. The aim is to quickly overwhelm the victim’s inbox with repetitive messages.
2. 2.Subscription bombing. The attacker signs up the victim’s email to thousands of newsletters, services, or mailing lists. This floods the victim’s inbox, forcing them to manually unsubscribe from each one.
3. 3.Amplification attack. The attacker forges emails from the victim’s address to trigger a large number of automated responses, such as out-of-office replies or bounced messages. This results in a flood of responses filling the victim’s inbox.
4. 4.Spoofed email bombing. In this attack, the attacker spoofs the victim’s email address and sends spam to multiple recipients. The recipients then respond angrily or mark the email as spam, further clogging the victim’s inbox.
5. 5.Data breach exploitation attack. The attacker uses credentials they obtained from a data breach to trigger password reset or verification emails sent to the victim’s inbox, overwhelming it with constant requests.

The impact of email bombing

Email bombing can overload your inbox and make it difficult to keep track of important messages. It may disrupt communication and cause delays or even missed information. You might also face account lockouts if your email provider suspends or blocks your bombed account.

The attack can put a strain on the system, slowing things down or even causing outages. On top of that, your reputation may take a hit if you’re seen as the source of spam or malicious emails.

Stopping email bombs

To stop email bombing, take control of the situation immediately:

1. 1.Don’t open or reply to the emails, click links, or download attachments to prevent malware or phishing risks.
2. 2.Use email filters to manage the flood of emails.
3. 3.Contact your email provider’s support team and report the attack. They may help block the flood temporarily, provide assistance, or prevent account suspension.
4. 4.Next, implement security measures to protect your account from further attacks:
5. 5.Change your email password to a strong, unique one immediately if your account is targeted.
6. 6.Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to add an extra layer of security to protect your account.

Once you’ve brought the attack under control and reported it, it’s time to make sure no further damage will happen. To do so, run a full system scan with antivirus and anti-malware software to check for any malware that may have been triggered.