Coronavirus Dashboard, Maps Used As Bait By Hackers; Windows PCs Most Affected: Report

Coronavirus is spreading like wildfire and is set to become a global pandemic. However, hackers are using the deadly virus as an easy target to spread malware and infect systems worldwide. Many organizations are making dashboards and maps of the COVID-19 and hackers are using this as a gateway to enter unsuspecting user accounts.

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Coronavirus Maps Used To Lure Victims

A research conducted by Reason Labs' Shai Alfasi discovered that hackers are using the coronavirus maps to hack into systems and steal information. This includes usernames, passwords, credit card details, and other information stored in the browser history.

Going into the exact details, hackers are developing applications related to COVID-19, like the map of the virus, timely updates, scale of the affected people, and more. These applications prompt users to download it to stay updated. What's more, the application wouldn't require you to install it.

With all this information (especially the catchy map revealing the spread of the virus), the attackers use it as a front for hacking into systems. They generate binary files and install it on the computers. For an average/common user, it's very hard to differentiate the website, as it uses genuine coronavirus maps but has a different URL or different details from the source.

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Hackers Use AZORult

A malicious software known as AZORult was used here, notes Alfasi. This was first founded in 2016 and is used to steal data from computers and also to infect it with malware. The research report notes that AZORult is capable of stealing all kinds of information (including sensitive ones) from computers like passwords and cryptocurrencies.

"It is used to steal browsing history, cookies, ID/passwords, cryptocurrency and more. It can also download additional malware onto infected machines," notes an explanation about AZORult. Plus, a new variant of the AZORult can install a secret admin account on your computer and perform remote attacks and collect data.

The report notes that Windows systems are currently affected, but it's possible to affect other systems too. It's advised that users check and verify the domain and URL before opening and clicking on a link related to coronavirus. Only verified dashboards must be accessed to avoid being hacked.