Hackers have started to trick people into visiting malicious websites of phony maps displaying the spread of COVID-19 to infect their computers with malware, according to Business Insider.
Cybersecurity firm Reason Labs discovered the malicious sites that are disguised as reliable COVID-19 maps. Hackers are sending links to the malicious website through social medical or misleading emails. When people click on the link, they are asked to open an applet that downloads AZORult, a year-old malware. The malware then steals a user's data, such as login credentials and banking information.
"This technique is pretty common," said Research Labs researchers Shai Alfasi, according to Business Insider. "We will likely be seeing an increase in corona malware and corona malware variants well into the foreseeable future."
Researchers remind people to visit maps published by Johns Hopkins University or The New York Times.