Uptick in Nation State Misinformation Campaigns and Cyberattacks on Healthcare Sector
4iQ, an adversary intelligence company, released its COVID-19 Threat Report, which explores a host of notable scams that have surfaced during these uncertain times, including sextortion/blackmail emails, fake news, ransomware and phishing campaigns.
In this report, 4iQ describes trends that have emerged in the wake of COVID-19. Beyond just highlighting notable cyberattacks, the report offers insight into who is committing these cybercrimes, and why. As the globe experiences stark changes affecting people’s lives, it is important to take heightened precautions and be more vigilant of suspicious activity.
"It has been well documented that cyber criminals are exploiting all the fear and uncertainty that comes with COVID-19,” said 4iQ co-founder and CTO Julio Casal. “Of course, the outbreak is impacting our physical sphere, but the risk narrative in cyberspace is alarming, too. This report offers insights into specific cyber threats that are most prevalent at this time, and the effect they have on consumers and businesses worldwide."
Key findings in the report include:
"Although several prominent ransomware groups have pledged to avoid targeting healthcare organizations during this pandemic, other threat actors are still taking full advantage of this situation, from script kiddies to professional and state-sponsored hackers," said Alberto Casares, VP of Threat Research. “Further, when comparing pre-outbreak and post-outbreak, we found a significant rise in the number of threads, items offered for sale, and hacking information related to COVID-19 on deep and dark web forums."