Digital Slumlords
IT support experts in San Diego can help keep you from being impacted by “digital slumlords”. What do slumlords do? They find cheap properties and make them just affordable enough to “rule” poor lodgers. They essentially exploit economic crises. Well, similarly, in terms of medical and economic crises, cybercriminals are exploiting the general fear of the public regarding COVID-19 to opportunistically steal from them. Businesses are especially targeted.
What to Watch Out For
Endless scams describe the modern atmosphere, but several key cons define the present digital environment. As a business, large or small, working with MSPs can be a key means of helping you avoid the following COVID-19 scams:
Sneaky Spam
Shameless spammers send out emails which pretend to come from official organizations like the CDC. These emails will often make demands, and use language couched in “emergency” terms to motivate recipients into rendering personal information, which is then exploited by hackers. Know official channels for your region, consulting the IT experts can help you here.
Websites That Are Malicious
IT support experts in San Diego can help secure your network against malicious websites. Some can be blocked outright through varying firewall programming. New “fake” websites pretending to be all manner of government organizations are popping up all the time.
Hackers make fake sites, and more enterprising scammers pretend to represent organizations like the WHO. They offer visitors the chance to buy “vaccine kits”. Don’t trust anything like that, but don’t totally lose your trust in “official” websites. Consultation and security through an MSP can do much to help you avoid making any missteps here.
Threats Through Mobile Apps Like “CovidLock”
Contact tracing is a real thing, but many of the apps which represent themselves as though they are official solutions for contract tracing needs (like CovidLock) are totally bogus. It’s hard to know what’s what in today’s strange environment, so a good rule of thumb is not to download any apps whatever, unless some tech group you’re employing has specifically approved it. Third-party apps are going to ask for login information, and they’re going to use it against you.
Avoiding Becoming a Statistic of Cybercriminals Exploiting COVID-19
Our IT support professionals in San Diego can help your business avoid being impacted by threats from malicious apps like CovidLock, underhanded websites that steal information or other resources through varying means, and sneaky spam that deigns to be legitimate. To learn more about existing threats, developing threats, and how best to protect your business, get in touch with us at Excedeo.