News
Sophos identifies Coronavirus “safety measures” scam email, lists measures to avoid it
BY: Sandra Ani
Cybercrooks love a crisis, because it gives them a believable reason to contact you with a phishing scam, Sophos has said, as it alerts individuals and businesses on the Coronavirus “safety measures” email is a phishing scam.
Sophos evolves to meet every new challenge, protecting more than 400,000 organizations of all sizes in more than 150 countries from today’s most advanced cyber threats.
Powered by SophosLabs, its cloud-native and AI-enhanced solutions are able to adapt and evolve to secure endpoints and networks against never-before-seen cybercriminal tactics and techniques.
Sophos Security Team reported of the current scam that uses the coronavirus to lure unsuspecting businesses and people with the email which carries the logo of the World Health Organization and states:
.Go through the attached document on safety measures regarding the spreading of corona virus.
.Click on the button below to download
.Symptoms common symptoms include fever, coughcshortness of breath and breathing difficulties.
Sophos said that fortunately, at least for fluent speakers of English, the criminals have made numerous spelling and grammatical mistakes that act as warning signs that this is not what it seems.
“The link you’re asked to click on is similarly, and fortunately, dubious.
“Firstly, it seems to be a compromised music site with a weird name that doesn’t have any obvious connection to any well-known health organisation; secondly, it is an HTTP site, not an HTTPS site, which is sufficiently unusual these days to be suspicious in its own right.
“Nevertheless, the scam page itself is incredibly simple – it can’t have taken the crooks more than a few minutes to put together – and visually effective.
“The fake page consists of the official, current home page of the World Health Organisation (WHO) with an unassuming popup form on top of it.
“It doesn’t just look like the WHO’s page in the background, it is the WHO’s page, rendered in a frame that’s embedded in the fake site:
“You can see why someone who’s nervous about the coronavirus issue, or who has friends and family in the main areas of infection, or who wants to do the right thing by learning more about preventing the spread of the disease…
“…might fill in the form, perhaps because they are feeling pressurised by (or not thinking clearly because of) the subject matter.
“Indeed, many companies have already sent emails to their staff to offer advice, so reading additional information that is allegedly from the WHO sounds like a sensible and responsible thing to do.
“Of course, if you put in your email address or your password and click through, you’ll be submitting the filled-in web form to the crooks.
“Worse still, you’ll be submitting it over an unencrypted connection.
“So anyone else on the same network as you, for example in your hotel lobby or the coffee shop, could potentially capture your network traffic and see the username and password you just put in.
“Once you’ve clicked the [Verify] button, the crooks simply redirect you to the real WHO site at who DOT int, which looks just like the previous page you were on, minus the popup form…
“…with the rather obvious exception that the address bar now looks (and is) correct, displaying the genuine WHO website name, showing a padlock and – if you click through and view the web certificate – a certificate that shows up as issued to the WHO itself.
Sophos also offered measures on what to do about it:
Never let yourself feel pressured into clicking a link in an email. Most importantly, don’t act on advice you didn’t ask for and weren’t expecting. If you are genuinely seeking advice about the coronavirus, do your own research and make your own choice about where to look.
Don’t be taken in by the sender’s name. This scam says it’s from “World Health Organization”, but the sender can put any name they like in the From: field.
Look out for spelling and grammatical errors. Not all crooks make mistakes, but many do. Take the extra time to review messages for telltale signs that they’re fraudulent – it’s bad enough to get scammed at all without realising afterwards that you could have spotted the fraud up front.
Check the URL before you type it in or click a link. If the website you’re being sent to doesn’t look right, stay clear. Do your own research and make your own choice about where to look.
Never enter data that a website shouldn’t be asking for. There is no reason for a health awareness web page to ask for your email address, let alone your password. If in doubt, don’t give it out.
If you realise you just revealed your password to imposters, change it as soon as you can. The crooks who run phishing sites typically try out stolen passwords immediately (this process can often be done automatically), so the sooner you react, the more likely you will beat them to it.
Never use the same password on more than one site. Once crooks have a password, they will usually try it on every website where you might have an account, to see if they can get lucky.
Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) if you can. Those six-digit codes that you receive on your phone or generate via an app are a minor inconvenience to you, but are usually a huge barrier for the crooks, because just knowing your password alone is not enough.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
News
Family Marks one-year Memorial of Late APC Chieftain, Ojougboh with Charity Outreach
By Ikenna Oluka
The family of the late chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, led by his wife, Mrs. Bose Ojougboh, marked his one-year memorial anniversary with a series of charitable initiatives aimed at honoring his legacy of philanthropy and service to society.
The memorial activities included the donation of school books and bags to pupils of Erigbe Primary School, in Agbor within the Ika South Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State, where Dr. Ojougboh had received his early education.
The outreach also included extension of financial assistance to patients at Central Hospital, Agbor, and the provision of toiletries, cash, and food items to children at the Salve Regina Children’s Home, Agbor.
The outreach was carried out under the ‘Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Foundation’, a family-led initiative established to immortalise him and continue his lifelong commitment to education, healthcare, and social welfare.
Speaking during the event which took place recently, Mrs. Ojougboh reaffirmed the family’s dedication to sustaining the ideals of the late APC chieftain, describing him as a man who strongly believed in education and giving back to society.
“We are here to celebrate the life of my husband, Late Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, who passed on a year ago. In his honour, we decided to give back to society. He was a man who valued education and was always willing to help others. It is only fitting that we continue his legacy through acts of generosity,” she stated.
Honouring his passion for education
The first visit was to Erigbe Primary School, where Dr. Ojougboh had received his early education. The Foundation distributed school bags, writing materials, and food packs to the pupils. The family encouraged the pupils to take their education seriously and strive to become responsible citizens.
Supporting patients at Central Hospital, Agbor
At Central Hospital, Agbor, Mrs. Ojougboh and her entourage moved through the medical wards, offering financial support to patients to assist with their treatment costs. The hospital staff and beneficiaries responded with prayers and words of gratitude for the kind gesture.
Reaching out to orphaned children
The outreach team also visited Salve Regina Children’s Home in Agbor where they donated cash, food items, and toiletries to the children.
The Matron of the home expressed her deep appreciation to the Ojougboh family, commending their commitment to sustaining the late politician’s legacy of compassion and social impact.
Dr. Cairo Ojougboh’s enduring legacy
Reflecting on her late husband’s contributions to society, Mrs. Ojougboh emphasised that his legacy of generosity and service to humanity would not be forgotten.
“Dr. Cairo was a selfless man who touched many lives. His contributions to the Nigerian political landscape, his mark in Agbor Kingdom, Delta State, and the country at large, will always be remembered. He may be gone, but his impact will continue to be felt for generations,” she said.
The Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Foundation has pledged to continue supporting education, healthcare, and social welfare initiatives in his memory, ensuring that his vision for a better society lives on.
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