Published 23:24 IST, March 13th 2020
Beware: FAKE Coronavirus Map steals passwords & personal information with computer virus
Coronavirus Heat Map is reportedly found to be a Malware software that can steal all your personal data. Check out what the fake site does & how to prevent it.
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The Coronavirus pandemic has become one of the major health hazards to faced by mankind in the 21st century. To stay updated, many people are reliant on apps, software and websites that promise them accurate information on COVID-19 outbreak. One of the similar apps named 'Coronavirus Heat Map' came online promising to provide reliable data on maps, marking the Coronavirus-affected areas. The software also assured users to provide news regarding the pandemic. But it was recently found that this information app contains a known virus that can steal all your personal information from your computer.
Coronavirus Heat Map software that steals your passwords and other data
Source ~ Reason Labs
At this critical time of COVID-19 outbreak, a group of cyberattackers are using Coronavirus Heat Map software to steal passwords, credit card information and other personal data. The file started circulating online with the title 'Corona-virus-Map.com.exe'. However, the cybersecurity researcher Shai Alfasi of Reason Labs found out that this app contains a known Malware which is famously called as AZORult. This recognised malware was discovered in the year 2016.
How does Coronavirus Heat Map software virus 'AZORult' work?
The most shocking fact about this Malware virus is that it can also create an additional administer account and download additional malware to support the infection. This means AZORult can help the cyber attackers to gain control over a computer easily. This will let the hackers steal passwords and other data from the computer effortlessly. Coronavirus Heat Map software may result in major personal information leak that the hackers can sell on the dark web.
Summary of the threat:
|
Name |
Corona-Virus-Map.com virus
|
|---|---|
|
Threat Type
|
Trojan, password-stealing virus, banking malware, spyware.
|
|
Malware name |
AZORult
|
|
Distribution methods
|
Infected email attachments, malicious online advertisements, social engineering, software cracks. |
|
Damage |
Stolen passwords and banking information, identity theft, the victim's computer added to a botnet. |
|
Virus Detection Names |
Avast, BitDefender, ESET-NOD32), Kaspersky, Full List(VirusTotal) |
How to keep your computer safe from such Coronavirus malware software?
According to several cybersecurity researchers, the expanse of such Malware software has increased due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The only way to keep your PCs safe is to download antivirus and all it updates. Scan the entire computer thoroughly and delete any suspicious item. If you do not find any virus, then stay away from downloading contents that have '.exe' in the end. Also, to keep the computer safer, keep the auto-download off. Set different passwords on all your accounts and do not save any password, banking data or identification information on your PC.
23:24 IST, March 13th 2020