Hackers Exploiting Coronavirus with Phishing and Malware Campaigns

Unfortunately, hackers are exploiting fears to phish your employees, hack systems or deliver malware during the pandemic. As the fear of the virus is increasing, your employees’ emails and social media will be flooded with news reports, comments and links about the virus. Here are a couple of ways hackers are getting into your system and taking advantage of the coronavirus:

Fake virus tracking app delivers ransomware: there is an app that masks itself as a coronavirus map tracker that is actually ransomware that locks down your phone. The app is called the “COVID19 Tracker” and will infect your device when it is downloaded, once it has infected your device it will demand $250 in Bitcoin.

Relief payment exploitation: cyber criminals are pretending to be the IRS and are taking advantage of people who are in need. ‘Victims’ are asked to confirm an account number through an attached document to receive the payment. When doing this, it will introduce a remote access trojan onto the machine.

Impersonating healthcare organisations: the FBI Internet Crime Compliant Centre (IC3) are warning people about phishing campaigns, these people are impersonating the CDC, WHO and other healthcare organisations. The malicious emails will trick you with the suggestion of urgent information about the virus to introduce malware or steal important passwords.

Spamming the Emotet trojan: an Emotet is capable of hijacking email accounts and spoofing messages. Hackers are spreading helpful notices on how to prevent the spread of coronavirus and targeted users in Japan as part of a spam campaign to introduce them to the Emotet trojan to access personal information.

People that are working from home are becoming prime targets for cyber criminals. During this crisis phishing attacks have skyrocketed with dozens of malicious domains that are exploiting the coronavirus.

We can help protect your business against any cyber threats, if you require our help get in touch with us today, our team are more than happy to help!