Exclusive: Hackers linked to Iran target WHO staff emails during coronavirus - sources

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-coronavirus-cyber-iran-exclusi/exclusive-hackers-linked-to-iran-target-who-staff-emails-during-coronavirus-sources-idUKKBN21K1RL

By Joseph Menn, Christopher Bing, Raphael Satter, Jack Stubbs
Reuters.com
April 2, 2020

SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON/LONDON (Reuters) - Hackers working in the 
interests of the Iranian government have attempted to break into the 
personal email accounts of staff at the World Health Organization during 
the coronavirus outbreak, four people with knowledge of the matter told 
Reuters.

It is not clear if any accounts were compromised, but the attacks show how 
the WHO and other organizations at the center of a global effort to 
contain the coronavirus have come under a sustained digital bombardment by 
hackers seeking information about the outbreak.

Reuters reported in March that hacking attempts against the United Nations 
health agency and its partners had more than doubled since the beginning 
of the coronavirus crisis, which has now killed more than 40,000 
worldwide.

The latest effort has been ongoing since March 2 and attempted to steal 
passwords from WHO staff by sending malicious messages designed to mimic 
Google web services to their personal email accounts, a common hacking 
technique known as “phishing,” according to four people briefed on the 
attacks. Reuters confirmed their findings by reviewing a string of 
malicious websites and other forensic data.

[...]


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