Published on February 26th, 2016 | by Admin
Symantec: Zika virus outbreak concerns used to spread malware
On 1st February 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in response to the outbreak of the Zika virus and its associated birth defects in the Americas. Since this declaration, Symantec Security Response has observed a malicious spam campaign seeking to capitalise on the global interest in what the director of the WHO calls an “extraordinary event”.
Newsworthy events on a regional or global level often provide fertile ground for cybercriminals. In this case, the Zika virus’ impact in countries like Brazil is being leveraged, while the potential impact in other countries make it a prime candidate for more malicious spam.
For further information please visit Symantec’s blog, or let me know if you’d like to speak with a local security expert.