14 DAY TRIAL // It was only a matter of time until Ebola-themed scams started spreading at a rapid pace. The issue is not to be taken lightly since crooks are known for their solid social engineering skills that can fool a large number of victims.
The increased number of emails preying on the general interest in news about the Ebola virus only to deliver malware or point to malicious online locations has increased lately and sparked a warning from the US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team).
The organization advises users to keep an eye out for fraudulent emails of this kind, in order to stay safe from malicious cyber campaigns.
In the beginning, isolated cases were recorded, but the malicious trend became more prevalent in August, when the cybercriminals sent out malware-laced emails claiming to come from news outlets or telecommunication companies.
These could be used for enslaving the computer by making it part of a botnet that is then used for a wide range of malicious activities, ranging from carrying out distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks or scanning the Internet for vulnerable websites to deliver spam and distribute new malware.
Be wary of email bearing Ebola news
US-CERT provides a set of preventative measures that can be taken to avoid falling into the trap. These include refraining from accessing URLs or opening attachments in unsolicited email messages, and keeping the antivirus and other programs on the computer updated.
Some of the scams are quite evident, even for the untrained eye, since most of the times cyercriminals do not pay too much attention to the details; typos, grammar mistakes, a dodgy sender’s address or a link to a suspicious domain are among the most common signs of a scam.
But if none of these hints is available, when sensational news hits the inbox, the best practice is to check the information with a reputable source.
“Ebola scams will continue to push strong emotional triggers, so we advise users to double check online warnings, news updates and videos. Getting news straight from reputable sources and media agencies is always the right thing to do,” said Bitdefender Chief Security Strategist Catalin Cosoi.
Furthermore, fraudsters also prey on human compassion and could set up fake charity websites accepting online donations. Verifying the legitimacy of the sites is always the thing to do before shelling out the money, the researcher said.
“We advise users to stay on guard with Ebola news, fake donations and Facebook scams. As with any present or future international disasters, there are always scammers trying to monetize users’ interest for the topic,” Cosoi added.
Conspiracy theory messages
In the past weeks, security researchers have observed a growth in nefarious email campaigns based on conspiracy theory subjects, those relating to Ebola included.
Recently, Bitdefender fought a wave of spam advertising a shady kit that would ready individuals for World War III. The information included in the email would include survival skills in case disaster strikes.
To make users access the kit, the email induces a sense of panic by presenting a scenario where the comfort of grocery stores or police and emergency services would no longer be available.