Cybercriminals look to cash in on the vaccine rollout, including by falsely offering to help people jump the line
The US Department of Treasury has added its voice to a growing chorus of warnings about ransomware attacks, fraud and other cybercrimes that attempt to exploit the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.
“The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is issuing this Notice to alert financial institutions about the potential for fraud, ransomware attacks, or similar types of criminal activity related to COVID-19 vaccines and their distribution,” reads an alert by FinCEN, a bureau of the Treasury Department.
The warning notes that “cybercriminals, including ransomware operators, will continue to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic alongside legitimate efforts to develop, distribute, and administer vaccines”. With that in mind, FinCEN urged banks and other financial institutions to keep an eye out for ransomware targeting vaccine distribution and the supply chains required to manufacture the vaccines.
In recent months, pharmaceutical companies, vaccine researchers and organizations involved in vaccine storage and transport have all been targeted by multiple cyber-espionage groups. This includes a campaign by the Lazarus group leveraging malware that ESET researchers had linked to the group.
Jump to the front of the line? Hardly
FinCEN’s alert also highlights schemes that pitch non-existent vaccines or counterfeit versions of approved vaccines, as well as ploys involving illegally diverting ..
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