Warning: 50% of COVID-19 tracking number maps are infected with malware

To help people track the spread of the Corona virus, several organizations have created online maps. However, recently a security researcher at Reason Lab Shai Alfasi said that hackers are taking advantage of this type of map to install malware on users' computers to steal information. Stolen user data includes name, password, bank account and other personal information stored in the browser.

Initially, the hacker will design websites containing information about the disease situation COVID-19 to attract users. Users will be encouraged to download the application to track the spread of the virus via an online map without any installation. The bad guy then installs a malicious binary on the user's computer through an application that he has downloaded.

Currently, hackers only target computers running Windows. But Alfasi worries that, in the future, new versions will appear to penetrate other platform devices.

Warning: 50% of COVID-19 tracking number maps are infected with malware Picture 1

Alfasi added that to carry out the above attacks, hackers used the AZORult malware, first detected in 2016. AZORult was created to steal personal data including confidentiality. password, ID and cryptocurrency, and also have the ability to transfer other malware to your computer.

More dangerous, a new variant of AZORult has appeared and is able to perform remote attacks on the user's personal data.

Research results of software company Checkpoint show that more than 50% of domain names associated with Covid-19 are designed with the purpose of installing malware into the user's computer system.

Therefore, users should only monitor the spread of the Covid-19 disease through verified maps for safety.