Hikvision Blog Series: Senior Cybersecurity Director on COVID-19 Hacks, Phishing & Cyberattacks

Plus, Hikvision Resources to Stay Safe & Ways to Give Back to the Community

As the COVID-19 coronavirus becomes a global concern, cybercriminals are leveraging this tragedy to spread their own kind of virus and digital attacks to prey on the fears of people around the world. Hikvision has published a series of blogs from our senior director of cybersecurity, Chuck Davis, where he reports on COVID-19 phishing hacks and malware, and offers tips to avoid them.

Here are links to recent blogs in the series:

Coronavirus or Computer Virus: Hikvision Senior Director of Cybersecurity on Phishing Hacks and Malware:
Attackers are using phishing campaigns to target businesses and individuals. One example, reported by BleepingComputer, shows how scammers created a phishing email with World Health Organization (WHO) logos in an effort to trick recipients into clicking a link that supposedly will give them online training but in fact, asks them to create an account on their imposter site. Read the whole article to learn more about how to identify these spoofed emails and avoid clicking on phishing links.

Recent Coronavirus-Related Malware and Phishing Attacks, Plus Password Manager Tip:
COVID-19 malware and phishing attacks were on the rise, and this article outlines recent ones including a cyberattack against the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, a new and growing botnet that recruits IoT devices, credit card skimming on websites, and a security firm re-breaches over 5 billion records. It also discusses using a Password Manager to reduce risk of hack and improve cybersecurity.

Four Recent Coronavirus Cyber Scams and Hacks, Plus Hikvision’s Cyber Tip of the Week:
COVID-19 remains a top story in international news and is also the theme of many attackers on the Internet. This April 3 blog post from Hikvision outlines four recent COVID-19 themed attacks on home networks, hospitals, and consumers. And, it provides tips for using multi-factor authentication to reduce cyber risk.

Hikvision Senior Director of Cybersecurity on the Rise in COVID-19 Phishing Attacks, Plus Cyber Tip of the Week:
Barracuda Networks researchers have seen a steady increase in COVID-19 coronavirus-driven phishing attacks, and since the end of February 2020 they found a 667 percent rise in these attacks. Read the article to learn more.

Cybersecurity Resources for COVID-19
Hikvision’s Davis compiled the following resources and websites to help you educate yourself and stay safe during the pandemic.

Educational and Awareness Resources:

North America Government Resources:

Charities
If you are able to, you may want to help out financially. The scammers know this and that’s why phishing attacks are on the rise. To help prevent phishing clicks, contact charitable organizations directly. Here are some links to valid organizations involved in the fight against COVID-19:

“How to Help Others During the Coronavirus Outbreak,” by Town & Country magazine lists charities for hospitals and healthcare workers, scientific research, helping the hungry, aid to the arts ad artists, small business support, and volunteering your time.

Charitynavigator.org lists, “Highly-rated nonprofits providing relief and recovery to communities impacted by the pandemic.” The categories they cover are medical services, relief supplies, cross-categorical, funding local organizations, education & awareness, and relief supplies.