COVID-19 malware infections discovered

Mariecar Jara-Puyod, Senior Reporter

Experts behind the detection of malware infections have identified at least three as a consequence of the pandemic, one of which has to do with face masks.

Though two of these have been established as using the English language in its “phishing campaigns” namely the CoronaVirus Trojan and the Android Corona Safety Mask SMS scam, “these will be targeting other regions as well and would be active in these areas.”

“The key is to avoid downloading applications due to unsolicited e-mail or from untrusted websites,” Nokia Software product manager Kevin McNamee said in a recent email interview.

“Do not download and install applications from links in unsolicited e-mail or from untrusted apps stores or websites,” he also stated.

It was McNamee’s colleagues at the Nokia Threat Intelligence Lab in Ottawa, Canada who discovered “by the end of March” the two damaging or disruptive softwares invented by cybercriminals.

The other dangerous software is the COVIDLock Android Ransomware, utilized for bitcoins.

According to McNamee, Corona Virus Trojan “targets Windows, mimics a real map of the global locations of COVID19 infections to trick users into downloading the malware which then steals credentials and other personal data.”

Android Corona Safety Mask SMS Scam “pretends to be an app that helps users find safety masks. It steals information, obtains contacts and SMS messages and then sends fraudulent messages to the victim’s contacts.”

COVIDLock Android Ransomware is an “Android app that pretends to give users a way to find nearby COVID19 patients and tracks the virus spread across the world. Installing the app locks the device and asks the user to pay $250.00 in ransom in bitcoins.”

Separately, the Directorate of Islamic Affairs in Sharjah has announced the organisation of a set of various programmes and advocacy activities on the occasion of the Holy Month of Ramadan.

The Directorate has employed its smart platforms in all its Ramadan programmes, including lectures, mosque lessons, Sharia questions, publications, advocacy and awareness clips.