Hackers use maps to track corona virus situation to spread malware

In the context of more and more people searching for information related to the spread of COVID-19, hackers also quickly created fake digital maps with the function to display the situation of the spread of Corona virus, but in fact, they themselves spread malware onto people’s computers when they carelessly click on it.

There are currently many maps of COVID-19 circulating on the internet, maintained and updated regularly by health and media agencies. For users in the US, the popular map is a map created by Johns Hopkins University or The New York Times – these are two good examples of maps that track the status of COVID-19 with High reliability, no danger to users.

COVID-19 tracking map of Johns Hopkins University

But according to cybersecurity firm Reason Labs, hackers have created many malicious websites, disguised as the above-mentioned COVID-19 maps. Accordingly, their strategy will be to launch links to these malicious websites via social networks or emails with deceptive content. When people visit the website, they are instructed to open an applet (a small program that runs directly in a web browser, usually written in the Java language) – and this applet can infect their device with AZORult, a malware created in 2019, is capable of stealing sensitive data such as login information and bank accounts.

>> In addition to protecting your computer, you must also protect yourself:

” This trick is quite common, ” said Shai Alfasi researcher of Reason Labs. ” We are likely to see the number of corona malware and variants of corona malware skyrocket in the near future .”

To avoid this malware, researchers recommend that people use COVID-19 tracking maps from verified sources, and should carefully check the URL to the website before clicking on it.

This incident is one of many methods that hackers use to fight the fear surrounding the corona virus pandemic. Security researchers have warned of an increase in phishing scams, in which hackers will play the role of health agencies providing information about COVID-19 to trick people into giving out their credentials. surname.

Reference: BusinessInsider