ESET records an increase in criminal activity with spam emails etc.

Online criminals are exploiting fears of coronavirus – The most important thing to start with:

ESET researchers are observing a massive increase in criminal activity in the Corona news environment. Spam emails with malicious attachments and the spread of fake news are the main focus here.

The coronavirus has almost paralyzed public life. There is great concern among the population. Cybercriminals are currently exploiting this uncertainty and trying to benefit from the global pandemic as free riders with various campaigns.

ESET researchers are currently observing a massive increase in criminal activity in the Corona news environment.
Spam emails with supposed information about the coronavirus from renowned institutions such as the World Health Organization (WHO), which contain a malicious PDF file as an attachment, are very common.
The spread of fake news is also currently popular. ESET researchers have discovered copies of well-known news portals that spread misinformation.

In addition, the fraudsters circulate supposed calls for donations or offers for breathing masks in order to lure users to fake shops or entice them to make payments. ESET reports on current cases on Welivesecurity

“Cyber ​​criminals are shamelessly exploiting the current uncertainty among the population. We are currently seeing a sharp increase in these campaigns,” explains Thomas Uhlemann, ESET Security Specialist. “Users definitely need to keep a cool head these days. The criminals’ goal is to trick users into taking an ill-advised action, be it opening an attachment, clicking a link or transferring money.”

The expert warns urgently about supposed emails from the WHO.

“The World Health Organization does not write to private individuals. Recipients should delete the emails directly and under no circumstances click on file attachments or links.”

Phishing emails offer supposed breathing masks

ESET researchers are currently observing a campaign with alleged offers for breathing masks. Here the criminals are specifically targeting German-speaking Internet users. In these emails, these masks are praised as protection against the coronavirus. This promise is also intended to be supported by the “Satisfied Customer” statements shown in this email. To order the masks, a form must be filled out. The criminals' goal is to access personal data, such as email address, telephone number, name or address.

Where are dangers still lurking?

Fake shops: The increased demand for disinfection items and respiratory masks has led to panic buying and empty shelves for these products across Europe. As the situation worsens, there will be a significant increase in fake shops and fake products.

“Established providers primarily supply hospitals, nursing services and other system-relevant institutions. Citizens should therefore think twice about making careless purchases from unknown providers. Here the perpetrators are only after the wallets of worried people,” says Uhlemann.

More information can be found on Welivesecurity .

Safety tips

  • Do not open email attachments: Never open an attachment from an unknown sender. Fake PDF or Word files are often sent as attachments. These contain malicious code and install themselves on the computer after opening.
  • Do not click on links in emails: If you have recognized that an email is spam, you should not make the mistake of opening a link in it. Users are often directed to compromised websites that contain malicious code.
  • Set up multiple email addresses: Users should set up multiple email addresses. These should be sorted by importance. This means that there is an address for important professional and private purposes, as well as at least one for social networks or online shopping. This way the important email address doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
  • Beware of fake shops: Users should find out more about the provider before purchasing. This can be done, for example, via the imprint or an internet search. If no further information or only negative experiences can be found: Do not buy!
  • Do not reveal personal information: Never give confidential information such as name, address, credit card information or telephone number to unknown senders.
  • Install virus protection: The use of a powerful security solution with virus protection, firewall and real-time protection should be mandatory on PC, laptop, smartphone and tablet. Users are effectively protected from malicious code attacks on their access data.
  • Always stay up to date: In general, Internet users should always keep the operating system and browser they use up to date and install updates immediately. Known security gaps can then no longer be exploited by cyber attackers.
Source: Pressetext.com
Article image: ESET


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