Worries about the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 are growing daily and unfortunately, cybercriminals have been quick to capitalize on our fears using phishing emails designed to try and steal your personal information and your money.
Knowing that many people are working from home during this crisis cybercriminals are eager to try and trick you into getting access to your corporate network. They are sending out emails that appear to sent by WHO (The World Health Organization) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These emails often pretend to offer new information about the virus hinting at the availability of a vaccine. Others claim to be from charitable organizations looking to raise money for victims or front line workers who are putting themselves at risk to help us all.
This is not a new tactic as cybercriminals have long used seasonal changes (FedEx and Amazon messages during holidays) and important news events to trick people when they are particularly vulnerable. What makes these scams to hard to detect is that a lot of legitimate coronavirus-related emails are circulating right now. This makes it easier to trick people into clicking on links or downloading files to steal your personal information or infect your computer without drawing much attention.
Watch our short 2-minute video to learn more about these scams.
It’s more important than ever to be vigilant and carefully read all emails, check the sender’s email address and look for common signs of phishing scams. Firewalls and antivirus software can only do so much. The weakest link for any companies security is their people clicking on links or falling for these types of phishing email scams.
If you have questions or are interested in cybersecurity training for you and your team contact us at 315-473-9600. We are always here to help!
