who flag

World Health Organization Facing Cyber Attacks During Coronavirus Response

A malicious site imitating the WHO’s email system was created to collect the account information of the organization’s employees.

The World Health Organization is facing a “more than two-fold increase” in cyber attacks amid its efforts to organize a worldwide response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Reuters report.

Flavio Aggio, the WHO’s chief information security officer, said that the identity of the “elite” hackers who attempted to break into the organization’s cyber infrastructure is unclear. Their efforts were unsuccessful, Aggio added.

“There has been a big increase in targeting of the WHO and other cybersecurity incidents,” Aggio told Reuters. “There are no hard numbers, but such compromise attempts against us and the use of (WHO) impersonations to target others have more than doubled.”

Cybersecurity expert Alexander Urbelis flagged the attempted attack to Reuters after noticing that a group of hackers had created a malicious site imitating the WHO’s internal email system. The activity began around March 13, Urbelis said.

“I realized quite quickly that this was a live attack on the World Health Organization in the midst of a pandemic,” Urbelis said.

Read More: As Hospitals, Nursing Homes Battle Coronavirus, Security Companies Offer Assistance With Cybersecurity Attacks

He could not identify who was responsible, but several sources told Reuters that they suspect DarkHotel, a group of advanced hackers, is behind the incident.

Costin Raiu, the head of global research and analysis at cybersecurity firm Kapersky, said that while he could not confirm that DarkHotel was behind the WHO incident, the same type of attack is being used against healthcare organizations in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

“At times like this, any information about cures or tests or vaccines relating to coronavirus would be priceless and the priority of any intelligence organization of an affected country,” Raiu told Reuters.

Several cybersecurity firms have been tracking the creation of coronavirus-related websites, finding that a high percentage are malicious and trying to scam consumers out of their money and financial information.

Urbelis said that there are still at least 2,000 new domains registered each day, many of which contain malware or are scamming people: “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.