Important! November 6th, 2024 Webinar Attendees, please click here to complete our Survey or Verification Request Form.

Click Here

Introducing

Essential Business Skills for Busy Lawyers

Four-Part Free CLE Webinar Series

Featuring

Each Webinar Awards 1.00 Regular Credit

Cyber Thieves Exploit COVID-19 Concerns

Last update

at

by:

by:

Share

Shmishing schemes are a growing threat.

As if you don’t already have enough to worry about, now you need to be on the lookout for phone, text and email scammers preying on coronavirus fears.

One emerging threat is a new variant of ransomware transmitted by coronavirus phishing emails.

Even more insidious: a plethora of phone and text schemes involving everything from bogus medical treatments to nonexistent federal stimulus checks.

“The Federal Trade Commission has already received more than 13,000 coronavirus-related complaints, reporting $9.6 million in total losses since January,” writes Nicole Nguyen for The Wall Street Journal. “Circulating schemes involve stimulus checks, airline refunds, charities, fines for breaking social-distancing rules, ‘mandatory’ Covid-19 preparedness tests, unproven treatments and sales of in-demand supplies like masks or thermometers. Experts say the scams are designed to get you to take immediate action, more and more through texts and calls.”

A proven way for you to stay safe is with Alta Pro Insurance Services. When you have professional liability with Alta Pro, you’re automatically enrolled in the Alta Pro Lawyers RPG, which gives you access to a broad range of benefits, including the Pro Practice Playbook, Ask the Risk Pro, Reminger ProLink, discounts on Clio cloud software and much more. Here’s how to join.

NetWalker Ransomware
This ransomware variant was discovered in August 2019 and was initially named Mailto because of the extension that is appended to the encrypted files. It appears to be a legitimate file from Microsoft. But if you open the email and click on the link, the malware compromises your network, encrypts all Windows devices connected to it, and delivers a ransom note.

Here’s how NetWalker works, according to Omer Solomon at Cynet:

“We have noticed that NetWalker spreads itself in two ways. One way is via a VBS script that has been attached to Coronavirus phishing emails that execute the payload of the ransomware once it’s double-clicked or by opening the office documents that contain the VBS script inside. The second method occurs through an executable file that been spread on the network, and once it has been executed by the user, without the right guards in place, it is game over.”

Solomon’s piece provides a deep dive into the architecture of NetWalker, including meta-data, attack flow and encryption details.

Phone and Text Scams
In these anxious times, with people staying at home and spending more time on their phones, cyber-thieves are resorting to text messaging.

“Scammers are directing more efforts toward text-message (aka SMS) phishing, or ‘smishing,’” writes Nguyen. “The fraudulent texts often include a link to a legitimate-seeming website with fields to enter login credentials or other sensitive information. The links can also prompt malware to download.”

Here are five tips to avoid getting smished, courtesy of Nguyen:

• Think before you act. “ Instead of clicking that link, be it purportedly from a company or government agency, go directly to the source. Airlines can be reached through their apps, websites or customer-service call centers, and most government agencies, such as the IRS, currently link to coronavirus-related resources on their home pages.”

• Don’t click links or download attachments. “If you’re suspicious, you can use a scam checker to verify links or files.”

• Divert texts from unknown senders. “In iOS, go to Settings, then Messages to turn on Filter Unknown Senders, which sends texts from people who aren’t in your contacts to a separate tab,” writes Nguyen. “You can also block people by tapping on their phone number and scrolling down to Block This Caller. In Android, open the Messages app and expand Settings. Select your SIM card and scroll to tap Spam Protection to enable the feature.”

• Don’t send money or give out your personal information. The government won’t ask for personal data or charge processing fees by text.

• Keep your software up-to-date. “Those pesky pop-ups reminding you to update to the latest version of your phone or computer’s operating system are annoying—but they are critical in protecting you from security flaws, since those updates come with patches to those flaws.”

If you practice in Wisconsin, Texas, Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana or Michigan, you can stay a step ahead of the competition by being a member of Alta Pro Lawyers RPG. You’ll get access to free webinars, the Pro Practice Playbook, Reminger ProLink, Ask the Risk Pro and more. Here’s how to join.

Share

Related Posts on Altaprorpg.com!

Alta Pro Logo Icon

About the Editorial Staff

In an age of consolidation where increasingly impersonal transactions have made customer service an oxymoron, we bring together independent agents, insurance companies, and other industry specific service providers to develop and deliver insurance products and risk management solutions that benefit our insurance customers.

December 11, 2024 1:00 pm EST
1.0 Ethics Credit

Join Our Newsletter

Occasional newsletters and CLE invites

Upcoming CLE Webinar: Inside the Lawyers Brain

December 11, 2024 1:00 pm EST
CLE Credit: 1.0 Ethics

Colleen L. Byers

Colleen Byers Mediation, LLC

Archives

Latest Videos

1 Hour

Creating an Attorney Compensation Plan That Will Build Firm Culture and Attract Top Talent

1 Hour

Cybersecurity for Attorneys: Employing Competent and Reasonable Safeguards

1 Hour

Blazing Trails:  The Future of Cannabis in a Changing Legal Landscape

Need Help?

Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. 

Or email us directly at info@altaprorpg.com

Or submit your issue in the comment form below and we will respond as soon as possible.