While the world is grappling with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, cyberthieves are even making the most of the global tragedy by creating coronavirus scam and scores of malware sites on a daily basis.

Reportedly, hackers are using most of these websites to perpetrate phishing attacks, distribute malware-laced files, or for monetary scam, for deceiving users into paying for fake coronavirus treatments, supplements, or vaccines.

While some shamefaced coronavirus email scam drives started making their presence felt online in early February, things have now worsened.

Malware cliques are now regularly using coronavirus email baits to dupe users into downloading malware, and even state-sponsored hacking groups are exploiting the crisis by adopting similar tactics. This new practice has become so palpable that the UK National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) felt it imperative to send out a security alert on Monday about the increase in coronavirus-related email scams.

But as the virus pandemic gradually spreads from the few countries it primarily impacted, the whole world is also becoming more preoccupied with the topic.

This provides hackers more abundant opportunities to trick users into either downloading and installing malware or buying bogus products.

Over the course of the last week, quite a few security investigators have observed a hike in the number of coronavirus-related areas, with attacks rising in conjunction with the disease’s contagion.

A security expert said that cybercriminals have created more than 3,600 new domains that contain the “coronavirus” term between March 14 and March 18.

Some are genuine sites, but the massive majority are fields used for online scam, marketing vaccines and supplements.

 

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