Scams for viruses: The special conditions it has caused around the world coronavirus pandemic are being exploited by cybercriminals, as ESET warns.
Global anxiety, vulnerable groups at highest risk, excessive demand for goods that are no longer in stock and misinformation on social media – all this equates to a huge opportunity for fraudsters Internet.
ESET researchers have compiled some of the most common forms of fraud and analyzed them, drawing the attention of users.
Malicious news. Scammers pretend to send important information from reputable agencies, such as P.O.Y. (Fig.1) or from reputable news organizations, such as the Wall Street Journal (Fig.2), with the aim of tricking potential victims into clicking on malicious links. Usually, such links (Scams) can install malware, steal personal information or attempt to extract login credentials and codeof access.
Exploitation of charity. In this form of scam, cybercriminals try to persuade the victim to help fund a vaccine for children in China. With no vaccine available at the moment, users end up sending bitcoin to scammers' wallets. The technique is effective only in a very small percentage of users, but it acquires a respectable size if one considers that it is done on a global scale.
Masks. In another type of fraud, cybercriminals send spam emails (Fig. 3) wanting to trick victims into ordering masks to keep them safe from the coronavirus. In fact, victims end up unknowingly disclosing sensitive personal and financial data. According to Sky News, fraudulent mask sellers snatched 800.000 1 ($ XNUMX million) from users in the UK in February alone.
ESET advises users to be aware of these and related scams and to be extremely careful by applying the following guidelines:
• Avoid clicking on links or making λήψη συνημμένων σε ανεπιθύμητα μηνύματα/κείμενα από άγνωστες πηγές ή ακόμα και από αξιόπιστες πηγές, παρά μόνο αν είστε απολύτως βέβαιοι ότι το μήνυμα είναι αυθεντικό.
• Αγνοήστε τις επικοινωνίες που ζητούν τα προσωπικά σας data. Αν κρίνετε ότι είναι απαραίτητο να τα δώσετε, φροντίστε πρώτα να ελέγξετε την αυθεντικότητα του αποστολέα, χρησιμοποιώντας ένα διαφορετικό μέσο από το ίδιο το email (π.χ. αναζήτηση στο διαδίκτυο).
• Pay special attention to emails marked "urgent" or "caution" and urging you to take immediate action or offer COVID-19 vaccines or treatments.
Beware of charitable campaigns or crowdfunding campaigns that may be fraudulent.
• Use reliable software with multiple levels of security, which has protection against phishing.
