25 April 2020 12:00 am
By Yoshitha Perera
The number of cyber attacks using a ‘Covid-19 virus’ is on the rise. A cyber security firm has identified more that forty-thousand cyber threats related to Covid-19, the Information Technology Society of Sri Lanka (ITSSL) said yesterday.
President of the Association Rajeev Yasiru issuing a statement, said most of these cyber crooks are working to gain unauthorized access to computer systems and steal personal data, passwords and install malware when people visit particular sites .
He said that the Association had received several complaints regarding possible cyber threats in Sri Lanka and most of them appeared on websites those who claimed to be distributing free face masks and hand sanitizers.
“Face masks and hand sanitizers are high demand products in the country these days and most companies have started distributing these products free through their websites. Using this situation to their advantage, cyber attackers are trying to obtain personal data of people by using fake websites,” he said.
He warned that some cyber criminals send emails offering ‘free Covid-19 testing’ and through these emails are trying to install a malware called ‘Trickbot’ to gain unauthorized access to a computer system.
ITSSL warned the Sri Lankan citizens that not to open above mentioned unnecessary emails or messages which are spreading through social media sites during the pandemic situation.