Warning: COVID-19 Malware Targets People Working Remotely

Due to the corona virus causing companies to ask employees to work remotely from home, there are new attacks designed to infect your computer or phone and to ultimately access your corporate network.  You can protect yourself by doing the following:

1. Don't click on links from unsolicited text messages and email that mention coronavirus or COVID-19.  Those may lead you to infected websites or to malware download pages.  Be careful about downloading apps that are supposed to track COVID-19 because some are actually spyware and malware.

2. Be aware that the bad guys have made websites named "coronavirus-update" and "covid-19-information" and other combinations.  These are red flags, and the websites should be avoided.

3. Make sure your computer/phone and router software are up to date especially if you're connecting to the office network.  Hackers love non-updated systems with known vulnerabilities.

4. Try to avoid using free wifi at the coffee shop, but if you have to use it then use a reputable VPN service to keep your internet connection secure.

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Is the internet slow because the kids are watching movies?  

You may be able to login to your router and give priority to your work computer.

Want to limit what your kids can see online?

Your router may have settings, but software can do this too.

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As always, use best practices:

Use a different password for each of your accounts because a compromised login can lead to problems with all your accounts with the same password. A password manager like LastPass or 1Password will remember your passwords for you.

Use two-factor or multi-factor authentication for your logins using an app like Authy or Google Authenticator or a physical key like Yubikey.  Even if the bad guys get your password, they will have a harder time getting your final verification.

Back up all your files (especially precious photos) to a separate hard drive and online.

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Everyone be safe and healthy!