KNOWBE4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, has discovered a new type of phishing scam warning people that they’ve come into contact with a friend, colleague or family member who has been infected with the Coronavirus.
ALSO READ: Covid-19: Phishing scams skyrocket as SA goes into lockdown
The email instructs them to download a malicious attachment and proceed immediately to the hospital.
Eric Howes, principal lab researcher from KnowBe4, said this particular social engineering scheme appears to come from a legitimate hospital, which is why it’s so alarming and could trick even a cautious end user.
The victim is instructed to fill out a pre-filled Excel form, which is actually a macro-laden Office document that serves as a trojan downloader and is currently only detected by a handful of anti-virus applications.
This piece of malware has a number of advanced functions that allow it to evade detection by security applications, worm its way deep into an infested system, and serve as a platform for a variety of criminal activities.
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“This is a new type of malware that we’re seeing, as it was reported for the first time just a few days ago,” said Howes. “For the criminals, this is a target-rich environment that preys on end users’ fears and heightened emotions during this pandemic. Employees need to be extra cautious when it comes to any emails related to Covid-19 and they need to be trained and educated to expect them, accurately identify them and handle them safely.”
To assist organisations in preparing their employees for secure remote working, KnowBe4 has developed a short, complimentary Covid-19 Best Practices for Employees video module, available in 10 languages.Visit the KnowBe4 Blog: https://bit.ly/3e4HuRY
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
Dear reader,
As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19.
Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za).
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