industry unlocked
deter cybercriminals that are causing
a headache for banks and financial
institutions, as one bank has been
informing its customers.
SABRIC, the South African Banking Risk
Information Centre has warned its bank
clients that cybercriminals are exploiting
the spread of Coronavirus for their
own gain using ‘Coronamania’ panic to
spread Coronavirus scams.
Coronavirus scams exploit people’s
concerns for their health and safety and
pressure them into being tricked using
social engineering. Social engineering
is manipulative and exploits human
Cybercriminals are
exploiting the spread
of Coronavirus for
their own gain using
‘Coronamania’
panic to spread
Coronavirus scams.
or fake offerings of vaccines, leading to
phishing websites.
These emails come from seemingly
realistic and reputable companies which
manipulate people into clicking on links.
Some of these websites prompt the user
for personal information which ends up
in the hands of cybercriminals.
Cybercriminals are also using SMS
Phishing, more commonly known as
SMishing, to trick victims into clicking
on a link disguised as information on
a Coronavirus breakout in their area to
steal their credentials. Some of these
texts claim to provide free masks or
bank account, they can impersonate the
victim and transact using the correct
credentials but without authority.
“Although some spoofed emails can be
difficult to identify, we urge bank clients
to think twice before clicking on any link,
even if an email looks legitimate. Any
suspicious emails should not be opened
and are best deleted,” said SABRIC
acting CEO, Susan Potgieter.
SABRIC urges bank clients to take note
of the following tips to protect themselves:
• Phishing and SMishing
• Do not click on links or icons in
unsolicited emails.
• Never reply to these emails. Delete
them immediately.
• Do not believe the content of
unsolicited emails blindly. If you
are concerned about what is being
alleged in the email, use your own
contact details to contact the sender
and confirm.
• Check that you are on the authentic/
real site before entering any
personal information.
• Do not click on links or icons in
unsolicited SMSs.
• Do not reply to these SMSs. Delete
them immediately.
• Do not believe the content of
unsolicited SMSs blindly. If you are
vulnerability because criminals know
that the weakest link in the information
security chain is the human being.
These new scams include spoofed
emails offering products such as masks,
pretend to be companies that have
experienced delays in deliveries due to
the Coronavirus.
Once criminals have the correct level of
confidential information about a victim’s
worried about what is alleged, use
your own contact details to contact
the sender to confirm.
• Regard urgent security alerts, offers
or deals as warning signs of a
hacking attempt. u
46 Issue 25 | www.intelligentciso.com