Cyber Actors Take Advantage of COVID-19 Pandemic to Exploit Increased Use of Virtual Environments

The FBI has published a public service announcement (PSA) indicating that it anticipates cyber actors will exploit increased use of virtual environments by government agencies, the private sector, and individuals as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the PSA, the FBI states it has received more than 1,200 complaints related to COVID-19 scams and that cyber actors have engaged in phishing campaigns against first responders, launched DDoS attacks against government agencies, deployed ransomware at medical facilities, and created fake COVID-19 websites that quietly download malware. The FBI assesses that as some of cyber threat actors’ attention shifts to people who are working from home, they will seek to exploit vulnerabilities in the new and likely untested tools employees are using. The FBI discusses some of the threats that may be directed at employees in these situations, offering tips for both the employees and their employers to protect themselves and the organization. Read the PSA at the FBI.