How to Protect Yourself from COVID-19 Phishing Attacks

COVID-19 phishing is becoming more and more common as the crisis continues. Cybercriminals are pretending to be trusted sources of assistance, information, and aid during this time. But what they are focused on is taking advantage of the crisis to gain access to your sensitive information, such as personal and business data, logins and passwords, bank accounts, credit cards, and more.

The following guidelines can help you protect yourself, your business, your employees, and your business information. 

• Be suspicious of any emails referencing the coronavirus. Phishing scams will try to create an impression of urgency and panic to urge you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. Many times, phishing emails appear to come from a trusted source, such as friends, internal departments or personnel, or a government agency. They may be offering a cure or requesting or offering financial or other assistance. Create immediate policies to ensure your employees are not opening suspicious emails and do not click on links that appear in random emails and instant messages. 

• Beware of emails that do not contain your name, especially if they are asking for information. Most phishing emails start with “Dear Customer” or a generic greeting, so you should be alert when you come across these emails. When in doubt, go directly to the source rather than clicking a potentially dangerous link. 

• Be especially wary of emails asking you to check or renew passwords and login credentials. Remember that the goal of a cybercriminal is to gain access to your computer or network to obtain sensitive information. If a company or system is asking you, unprompted, to update your logins or passwords, check with your managed services provider or IT team before doing so. 

• Beware of financial requests, even from people you know. Many phishing emails appear to come from executives or people within the company, but these emails are not legitimate. If it seems unusual, extremely urgent, or out of character, directly ask the individual if the request is real. 

COVID-19 phishing scams are just one of the cybercrimes attempting to take advantage of this crisis. Creating a safe and secure cyber environment requires the right technologies, protocols, and support, and total security begins with your trusted IT or managed services provider. We’re here to help you as you work through this crisis. For questions, information, or support, contact our team at MidnightBlue.