Large-scale phishing attack using COVID-19 as bait expected today, warns Centre

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Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), the government’s watchdog in dealing with cybersecurity threats like hacking and phishing, has warned against a large-scale cyber-attack against individuals and businesses, where fraudsters may use COVID-19 pandemic as bait to steal personal data and financial information.

India’s cybersecurity nodal agency CERT-In has published an advisory cautioning that the potential phishing attacks could impersonate and mirror government agencies, departments, and travel bodies that have been tasked to oversee the disbursement of government fiscal aid. It has further warned people to be aware of ‘malicious phishing’ emails, messages, and text messages floating over social media, asking for ‘personal and financial information’.

The nodal cybersecurity agency tweeted, confirming that the phishing campaign is expected to commence from 21st June 2020 with the cyber-attacks using suspicious email ids like- ‘[email protected]’ to drive recipients towards fake websites, deceiving them into downloading fake files or entering their personal information.

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CERT-In issued advisory on COVID 19-related Phishing Attack Campaign by Malicious Actors. pic.twitter.com/x8WO3TseCM

— CERT-In (@IndianCERT) June 20, 2020

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The agency has further claimed that the malicious group claims to have 2 million individual email addresses and is in a cue to send emails with the subject free’ COVID-19 testing for all the residents’, therefore inciting them to prove personal information.

The watchdog has also advised to not open attachments from unrequested emails.

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