A Purple Notice has been issued by the agency and the police forces have been asked to remain vigilant
The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has issued a warning for its member countries that cybercriminals are targeting hospitals and medical organisations who’re on the frontlines of fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Interpol’s Cybercrime Threat Response at its Cyber Fusion Centre has recorded an increased number of attempted attacks on key organisations and institutions responding to the virus outbreak using ransomware which is designed to lock the personnel out of the critical system in order to extort payments. The cybercriminals are holding the medical staff and hospitals hostage “digitally” by denying access to systems and files until a ransom is paid. In order to support the global efforts in fighting this threat, Interpol has issued a Purple Notice alerting the police in all its 194 member countries to remain vigilant and increase mitigation.
According to the agency, as of now, the ransomware seems to be spreading primarily through emails. The recipient clicks on genuine-looking emails from a government branch claiming to have new information on the virus, which seem to be the way this ransomware is entering the systems. The agency has also said that prevention and mitigation are the main focus in stopping the attacks. In a separate statement, Interpol has also warned people working from home due to the virus outbreak, which have made them vulnerable to thefts and cyberattacks, to take necessary precautions.
