How to Avoid Malware and Misinformation About the Coronavirus

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Phishing scams target their victims in various ways. They often exploit their fear of real and current threats. Other times they take advantage of current affairs that appear in the news. And from time to time, they combine both circumstances. Yes, we mean coronavirus malware (COVID-10)

Avoid Coronavirus Malware_Complete Security Software

What is Coronavirus Malware?

In short, it is a way of using the coronavirus crisis to pretend to offer public information or services that are actually loaded with malware designed for theft. Here are some examples.

Industry-targeted Emails

Phishing scams targeting the manufacturing, transportation, higher education, and healthcare industries have been detected, providing cures for COVID-19 or alerting to suspected conspiracies. Once the links in the email are opened, the malware can collect data and wreak havoc.

Impersonation of the World Health Organization

Last week a spoofing campaign targeting Italian email addresses was launched. It coincided with the increase in quarantine measures in the country by the Italian government and therefore took advantage of the fear of those it attacked. The emails contained an attachment with a list of precautions to take to stop the spread of the virus. When the document was opened, the device was compromised and personal information was collected. 

Email Scams to Remote Workers

In line with the global response to the crisis, hackers do their best to react to every scenario. Recently, many companies around the world have encouraged their employees to work from home. The list of these companies is available online, making the information available to anyone. Hackers send emails pretending to be the company's human resources department, and ask users to log in to DocuSign or Microsoft Word; in this way, they steal your credentials. 

Coronavirus Maps

Several organizations have created interactive maps to track the global pandemic. Of course, hackers want a piece of the pie. They offer a map showing the spread of the coronavirus, but it is just a ploy for attackers to generate malicious files and install them on your computer. This way they can steal the information stored in your browsers, such as passwords and credit card details.

Keep Your Hands Clean From Coronavirus Scams

How can you stay safe? The coronavirus outbreak is constantly evolving and events change day by day. We all want to access information as quickly and efficiently as possible, this is the world we live in, but it is necessary to choose reliable sources for advice, precautions, and up-to-date information. Here's a shortlist to make it easier for you. We have included the main sources of information from the US and the UK; if you are elsewhere, it is best to check your government website.

  • World Health Organization (WHO)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • National Health Service (NHS)
  • Department of State
  • Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)

In addition to looking for information only from trusted sources, you can do other things to ensure that the information you receive is accurate.

  1. Know your sources. Use only well-known and reputable sites to share accurate news and verifiable facts.
  2. Don't click links in emails from strangers. Even if the email appears legitimate, please review it thoroughly. Does the email address match the sender's name? Is there a typo in the address, even if it seems small? Is the design slightly different? Are the sentences badly structured?
  3. The same is true for attachments. Make sure the email is from someone you know before downloading any attachments, and check again after downloading.
  4. On websites, look for typographical errors in the link, added numbers, or anything else that seems wrong to check for safety. It may be a link that does not go to the website you want to go to and therefore may be fraudulent.
  5. Please note how it has been shared. Facebook posts can be written, manipulated, and distributed by anyone. Remember, the fact that the information has been shared and you have received many "likes" does not mean that it is true. The same goes for WhatsApp chains and tweets.
  6. Use advanced antivirus. Antivirus with advanced features like complete security software can provide voluntary protection to your data hence need to be installed.

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