Google security experts at Alphabet Inc have identified more than a dozen government-backed hacking groups using the COVID-19 pandemic to cover phishing and malware attempts. Google said on Wednesday that the Threat Analysis Group found hackers targeting international health organizations, including activities confirming a Reuters report in early April that the World Health Organization was the target.
The WHO and other organizations, at the heart of a global effort to curb the coronavirus, have been the victim of a protracted digital bombardment by hackers seeking information about the outbreak. Google said it detected 18 million malware and phishing Gmail messages related to the corona virus outbreak every day.
“A notable campaign attempted to target personal accounts of US government employees with phishing lures using US fast food franchises and COVID-19 posts,” Google said in a blog post. (https://bit.ly/2yCZQtf) Some posts also offered free meals and coupons in response to COVID-19, others suggested that recipients visit sites disguised as online ordering and delivery options, according to the blog post.
Google said it was identifying and preventing threats, using a combination of in-house investigation tools, sharing information with industry partners and law enforcement officers, as well as leads and information from outside investigators.
(This story has not been edited by staff and is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)
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