Tech Talk News
From Your IT Professionals

April 2, 2020 - Volume 8, Issue 8
COVID Pandemic Continues To Increase Phishing and Spam Threats

The COVID-19 outbreak has changed the way we live our normal lives. One thing that hasn't changed is the bad actors out there. They will do whatever they can to get access to your network and gather whatever information they can from you, but now they have a topic that you are sure to be interested in - leading to easily targeted phishing attacks.

What are Phishing Attacks?

Tech Talk News has previously covered phishing attacks but, in short, they are fake emails that attempt to trick users into clicking on their links or attachments. This can either download malware onto the system or take the user to fake websites that appear to be a site that they really are not. By having a user attempt to login to their account for whatever site they are pretending to be, the bad actor can receive the user's login credentials.

What Does This Have To Do With COVID-19?

The Coronavirus is everywhere. It is in the news. It is shaping how we live each day. Surely, everyone has some vested interest in it. Whether that be further information on shutdowns, infection counts, CDC recommendations, etc. There is also an overload of information about the virus available now. Everyone seems to be sending emails about it and so much information can be difficult to sift through.

Due to this, bad actors have begun sending their own "updates" and "information" on the disease. They are banking on the fact that you have an interest in what is going on and are looking to learn about the new updates, hoping that this will lead you to click on their links and attachments. Emails can look like the below, but come in many variations.

This is not the only way they attempt to scam you, however. Other methods include fake emails from charities or organizations like the WHO, asking for your donations (often times via bitcoin) and scare tactics. Some emails even claim that they have the ability to infect you with coronavirus.
If you come across an email such as this, it is important to remember that the email is full of lies and that you should not panic. Many times, they will use one fact about you that was featured in a prior data breach to make you believe they know it all. The simple fact is that they do not. It is all a scheme to panic you into giving them money.
In any case, if you begin to receive these emails or something like them, you should inform your IT support professionals about it. There may be something that can be done to decrease the rate at which the emails actually come across your desk.

As with all other service-related issues, this information can be sent to service@ridgesupport.com or can be called in to our office.

What Else Can I Do?

In order to safeguard yourself from these threats, a firewall or mail filter can help, but it is most helpful for users to simply be aware of it. As long as users are aware and can practice good judgement by doing things like verifying the email address, confirming it is an email you expect, going to links directly in your browser and scanning attachments before opening them, networks can be far more protected.
Ridge Support Technologies
610-323-3351  |   pbowman @ridgesupport.com   |  http://www.ridgesupport.com