Alarming trend: When AI turns attack emails into “perfect official documents”
The global cybersecurity landscape is witnessing a major tactical shift among cybercriminal groups. Previously, phishing emails were easy to detect due to spelling mistakes and poor writing. Today, the involvement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has created a new generation of phishing emails -flawless in language, contextually precise, and nearly indistinguishable to the human eye.
In Vietnam, attacks are surging through emails impersonating government agencies, financial institutions, or major service providers, often with subjects such as “Tax violation notice,” “E-invoice error,” or “Request for document verification.” This method is particularly dangerous for three major reasons: High authenticity: The emails adopt professional writing styles aligned with administrative standards, exploiting users’ fear and urgency. Sophisticated attachments: Instead of links, attackers hide malware in double-extension compressed files disguised as PDF or ZIP-File documents. Bypassing legacy filters: Many outdated email security systems rely solely on signatures (known malware patterns), which are easily circumvented because AI continuously generates new variants.
Decoding the “forged tax document” attack technique through technical analysis
1. Header & sender analysis
Right from the start, the system examines the legitimacy of the sender:
- Spoofing via SPF: SPF (Sender Policy Framework) checks reveal that the actual sending IP does not match the authorized IP list of the domain (gdt.gov.vn), returning a [FAIL] result—one of the strongest indicators of sender impersonation.
- No DKIM signature: A significant loss of authenticity. DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) ensures email integrity and sender verification; the absence of this signature increases the risk level.
According to Nguyen Kim Tho – Head of R&D at VNETWORK, “The year-end period is a prime window for hackers to launch sophisticated forged-document campaigns. Without proactive protection mechanisms, businesses can easily fall victim to malware or data theft.”
2. Content & attachment analysis
After identifying a suspicious sender, EG-Platform proceeds to analyze the email payload:
- File name & type inspection: The system detects phishing characteristics in the subject/content (urgent tax violation notice). More critically, it identifies an attachment with a .pdf.z double-extension and flags File Type Check: FAIL, recognizing it as a high-risk file type.
- Malware inspection: Using its advanced “Virtual Area” technology, EG-Platform opens and analyzes the contents inside the compressed file, quickly detecting that the file is actually a malicious JavaScript (.js) executable.
Unlike traditional sandboxes, the Virtual Area analyzes file behavior by executing attachments in a fully isolated environment, recording system changes (file system, registry, network calls, process creation). Machine Learning then compares the behavior with millions of known malware samples to detect zero-day threats, including AI-generated variants without signatures.
3. Risk scoring & final verdict
All data is aggregated to determine the final blocking action:
- Risk scoring: With combined indicators such as SPF FAIL (spoofing), homoglyph characters (advanced phishing technique), and Malware Detected, the system assigns an extremely high risk score: 95/100.
- Final verdict: EG-Platform issues Verdict: BLOCK to prevent the email from reaching the user’s inbox.
Comprehensive email security solution: EG-Platform – smart shield, AI-driven
Amid escalating attacks and AI involvement, email security must go beyond traditional boundaries. VNETWORK’s EG-Platform is built on a pioneering foundation, deeply integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to provide a proactive, adaptive security shield against emerging threats.
EG-Platform is not merely a filter but a multi-layered security ecosystem focused on real-time behavior analysis. Unlike legacy systems relying solely on signatures, EG-Platform examines thousands of email factors, including source analysis (deep SPF/DKIM verification), context analysis (using AI to assess language, grammar, urgency, similarity to known phishing campaigns), and file type risk evaluation to block dangerous disguised attachments.
The system integrates three smart filters working in parallel to ensure no gaps: SpamGUARD blocks spam and distracting content; ReceiveGUARD provides deep protection against threats such as Phishing, Malware, Ransomware, and APT; SendGUARD controls outgoing emails, preventing malware transmission, DLP breaches, and internal information leaks.
Moreover, EG-Platform minimizes human risk through breakthrough technologies. The Virtual area feature tests all suspicious emails and attachments; malicious behavior triggers immediate destruction of zero-day malware. For high-risk but operationally necessary emails, the system automatically converts them to images to completely eliminate the possibility of accidental clicks on harmful links or buttons.
Achievements and international recognition
EG-Platform’s effectiveness is proven in practice. In 2025 alone, it blocked over 5,156,991 malicious emails, of which more than 63% were AI-generated — demonstrating superior performance against new attack waves.
Unlike traditional SEG solutions relying solely on signatures and reputation, EG-Platform combines AI-driven behavioral analysis to detect previously unseen attack patterns. The solution is optimized for Vietnamese language and common local tactics.
It meets 100% of global email security standards set by ITU (International Telecommunication Union) and is recommended by Gartner, Rapid7, ITSCC, proving compliance with the strictest global rules. With flexible customization and seamless integration with existing email systems, EG-Platform is a comprehensive, internationally recognized solution ensuring business safety and reputation.
The AI boom has elevated hacker attack capabilities. Email attacks are no longer isolated incidents but persistent, strategic threats. Brand reputation, sensitive customer data, and corporate assets are at risk from tiny forged attachments.
The era of simple spam filters is over. Businesses need a multi-layered, intelligent, self-learning, adaptive email security solution to counter AI-Hackers. EG-Platform is not only an investment in data protection but also in business continuity, reputation, and competitive positioning in the high-risk digital era.
Cybersecurity survey 2025: see the big picture to act effectively
VNETWORK launches the 2025 Cybersecurity Panorama Survey, collecting data from IT experts, business leaders, etc. Results will be compiled into the 2025 Cybersecurity Report, reflecting the true state and trends in Vietnam.
Participating companies gain a comprehensive view of Vietnam’s cybersecurity landscape, identifying their position relative to the market. The report provides comparative data to support effective decision-making and offer an opportunity to stay ahead of competitors using updated insights from VNETWORK experts.
The survey takes only 10-15 minutes, suitable for CEOs, CIOs, CISOs, and operational engineers. Participate TODAY HERE to help build a safer network environment for Vietnamese businesses.
Amid increasingly sophisticated attacks, businesses must build strong defensive layers to protect digital infrastructure. As a leading provider of infrastructure, transmission, and cybersecurity solutions in Asia, VNETWORK operates an ecosystem including VNIS, EG-Platform, VNCDN, and VCLOUD, ensuring safe and stable operations. Contact hotline +84 (028) 7306 8789 for tailored solutions.
FAQ – common questions about phishing emails
1. How has AI made phishing emails more dangerous?
AI enables attackers to create perfectly written emails impersonating government notices very convincingly, making them hard to detect by the human eye.
2. Why are traditional email filters ineffective against these new attacks?
Legacy filters rely on known malware signatures, whereas AI can generate new variants and continuously disguise attachments, easily bypassing old filtering systems.
3. How to identify a phishing email (fake tax notice or invoice) using technical signs?
Check authentication standards: phishing emails often show SPF FAIL (spoofed sender) or missing DKIM signatures. Attachments are often disguised compressed files like PDFs or DOCs.
4. How does VNETWORK’s EG-Platform counter AI-generated phishing emails?
EG-Platform uses AI/ML to analyze real-time behavior and context, not just signatures. The Virtual area feature tests suspicious attachments to detect and destroy zero-day malware before reaching user mailboxes.
5. As a CEO/CTO, why should I invest in EG-Platform instead of continuing with existing solutions?
EG-Platform is a multi-layered solution, pioneering AI against AI attacks. It has successfully blocked over 63% of AI-generated malicious emails. Investing in it protects brand reputation and digital assets from strategic attacks and data leakage.