COVID-19, coronavirus and related words/topics are being used by cybercriminals as a theme for phishing attempts. Also, the emails will be branded and formatted in such a way to resemble trusted organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) or Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Prevention

1. Unsolicited Emails: Avoid clicking on links and opening attachments from unsolicited emails.

2. Trusted Sources: Go to the trusted websites yourself; do not click on links.

3. Charity: Verify the authenticity of charities yourself.

4. MEL’s Email Dos & Don’ts: Send these four tips and the MEL infographic (attached) to all individuals with access to your network.

Resources

Check-out NJCCIC’s bulletin on COVID-19, along with tips for teleworkers working from home:

https://www.cyber.nj.gov/alerts-and-advisories/20200316/cyber-threat-actors-capitalize-on-coronavirus

https://www.cyber.nj.gov/be-sure-to-secure

Here are the trusted sites referenced above for WHO, CDC and FTC’s Charity page:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/events-as-they-happen

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0074-giving-charity