Check Point Reports Surge in Coronavirus-Related Cyberattacks to 5,000 Per Day
Experts at Check Point have found that the number of cyberattacks related to the coronavirus continues to rise, with attacks on websites impersonating Netflix services doubling as well.
Researchers report that while the overall number of cyberattacks decreased following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent economic downturn, attacks specifically linked to COVID-19 have sharply increased. From January to March 2020, researchers observed a 17% monthly decrease in hacker attacks on organizations worldwide. However, since mid-February, there has been a significant rise in coronavirus-related attacks. In just the last two weeks, the number of such attacks jumped from several hundred to over 5,000 per day, with an average of more than 2,600 attacks daily.
Potentially Malicious Resources
- Websites with “corona” or “covid” in the domain name
- Files with names containing “corona” or related words
- Files distributed via email with coronavirus mentioned in the subject line
Phishing websites were responsible for 84% of all attacks. About 2% of malicious site visits occurred from mobile devices. In the past two weeks alone, over 30,103 new domains related to the coronavirus were registered; 0.4% (131) were identified as malicious, and 9% (2,777) as suspicious. Since January 2020, more than 51,000 coronavirus-related domains have been registered in total.
Netflix Phishing Attacks on the Rise
The pandemic and the widespread shift to remote work have led to a surge in Netflix subscribers, which in turn has attracted scammers to the streaming platform. Over the past two weeks, phishing attacks from sites posing as official Netflix resources have doubled. Some of these fake sites set up payment systems to fraudulently obtain users’ money and personal information.
Fake Netflix Example
Expert Commentary
“It’s clear that the significant increase in cyberattacks is directly linked to the widespread coverage of coronavirus news worldwide. With so many people now working from home, scammers have shifted their focus from large businesses to individual users. As a result, we’re seeing more malicious attacks on platforms like Zoom and Netflix,” says Vasily Dyagilev, head of Check Point Software Technologies in Russia and the CIS. “To avoid becoming the next victim of cybercriminals, it’s extremely important to be extra cautious and vigilant, especially regarding suspicious websites, links, or files received via email.”
Check Point’s Internet Safety Recommendations
- Pay attention to spelling errors in website names and email newsletters.
- Be cautious with files received via email from unknown senders, especially if you are asked to perform unusual actions when opening them.
- Make sure you are ordering goods from an official store. One way to do this is to avoid clicking on promotional links in emails and instead search for the company on Google or another search engine and use the link from the search results page.
- Be wary of “special offers.” For example, an “exclusive coronavirus cure for $150” should raise suspicion.
- Ensure you use different passwords for each app and account.