from the people-still-click-on-links-in-email? dept.
Phishers impersonate WHO, exploit coronavirus-related anxiety - Help Net Security:
Media outlets are reporting daily on the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan and the emergency repatriation of foreign citizens that found themselves in the thick of it.
As cases of the virus infection keep popping up across the world – demonstrating just how small (i.e., well-connected) our planet is – so do fake news and videos about the situation on social media, as well as malware, phishing schemes and other scams in people’s inboxes.
The latest example of the latter are fake emails purportedly coming from the World Health Organisation (WHO), which is, ironically, engeaged in fighting an “infodemic” of fake coronavirs-themed news online.
The email, spotted by the Sophos Security Team, uses a trick lately favored by phishers and scammers: “Click here to download safety measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.”
The link takes the potential victim to a compromised web page containing a frame that renders the legitimate WHO page, which currently and prominently sports a link to information about this novel coronavirus.
Unfortunately, it also shows a simple pop-up asking the potential victim to “verify” their email by entering their email address and password. Those who fall for the trick are redirected to WHO’s legitimate page, while their email login credentials end up in the phishers’ hands.
Related Stories
Even though it has only been a short while since our last round-up there are 22 separate stories merged into this round-up. Many report duplicate news but, nevertheless, we have tried to distill the important elements of each submission.
Firstly, there is some confusion regarding the actual names that are reported for the virus, the disease that it causes, and names frequently seen in media reporting. From https://www.nature.com/articles/s41564-020-0695-z:
The present outbreak of a coronavirus-associated acute respiratory disease called coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is the third documented spillover of an animal coronavirus to humans in only two decades that has resulted in a major epidemic. The Coronaviridae Study Group (CSG) of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses, which is responsible for developing the classification of viruses and taxon nomenclature of the family Coronaviridae, has assessed the placement of the human pathogen, tentatively named 2019-nCoV, within the Coronaviridae. Based on phylogeny, taxonomy and established practice, the CSG recognizes this virus as forming a sister clade to the prototype human and bat severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses (SARS-CoVs) of the species Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus, and designates it as SARS-CoV-2.
In order to facilitate communication, the CSG proposes to use the following naming convention for individual isolates: SARS-CoV-2/host/location/isolate/date. While the full spectrum of clinical manifestations associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections in humans remains to be determined, the independent zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 highlights the need for studying viruses at the species level to complement research focused on individual pathogenic viruses of immediate significance. This will improve our understanding of virus–host interactions in an ever-changing environment and enhance our preparedness for future outbreaks.
There is much more information at the link provided.
Secondly, as this is a fusion of stories received over the last week or so take all quoted figures of casualties as possibly out-of-date. At the time of merging these stories (12 Mar 20) there have been 127,863 confirmed cases world-wide resulting in 4,717 deaths. 68,309 people have already recovered with the remainder either in self-imposed or advisory isolation, in basic hospital care and a relatively small number in critical care. The pandemic has affected 116 countries/regions. Source: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6 - a graphical display produced by Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
Many countries have taken emergency measures to restrict travel or large gatherings of people. As this is a very fluid situation we suggest you refer to the media of any specific country in which you have an interest. President Trump has banned transatlantic air travel from countries in mainland Europe to the USA from Friday 2020-03-13 at 23:59 (no timezone stated) for a period initially of 30 days, and air travel within Europe is also significantly disrupted.
(Score: 1) by RandomFactor on Saturday February 08 2020, @05:03PM
They always pull this crap. Been expecting it since this hit the news :-\
В «Правде» нет известий, в «Известиях» нет правды
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 08 2020, @05:55PM (4 children)
This idea isnt half bad for a cheap hazmat suit:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_doctor [wikipedia.org]
Obviously it is not as good as the modern design but it is probably better than nothing to filter the air you breathe through a long beak.
(Score: 2) by Mojibake Tengu on Saturday February 08 2020, @06:47PM (3 children)
Hazmat suit itself is not enough.
Michel de Nostredame had a complex herbal mixture to fill the beak, and he proved himself by using it while treating infected people, very effectively. So effectively, as he was noted even by elite.
Pity he is known to history as just a soothsayer.
Respect Authorities. Know your social status. Woke responsibly.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 08 2020, @08:03PM (1 child)
What was in the herbal mixture?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 09 2020, @06:14AM
The text says "einen langen Schnabel voll wolriechender Specereÿ" - nothing specific, just some spices that smell nice. This was the day of thinking that bad air caused illness.
(Score: 2) by Bot on Saturday February 08 2020, @09:46PM
Of course a herbal mixture works, duh. Nobody likes their veggies, why should the virus.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2) by barbara hudson on Saturday February 08 2020, @08:14PM
SoylentNews is social media. Says so right in the slogan. Soylentnews is people, not tech.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Bot on Saturday February 08 2020, @09:43PM
I herd you like virus, so I sent you a phishy email about coronavirus, so you can get infected while you get infected...
Account abandoned.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 10 2020, @06:27PM
You know its not the WHO because they are sitting this one out to benefit their donors