The TTU IT Division warns faculty, staff, and students to remain vigilant for malicious cyber activity seeking to capitalize on the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) topic. Recently, security firms have noticed an increase in malicious emails related to this topic. These emails typically fall under one of the following categories:
- Messages claiming to come from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), offering tips to prevent the spread of the virus;
- Messages claiming to come from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), stating that the recipient is eligible for a COVID-19 related tax refund;
- Messages from fake charities, asking recipients to donate money to help in the fight against COVID-19; and
- Messages directing Android users to install a purported “COVID tracker” app. In reality, this app will lock the user’s phone and deny them access until they pay a ransom.
These messages often contain links or attachments that direct users to phishing or malware-infected websites. In some cases, these attempts to steal your identity are very sophisticated, complete with professional logos and fluent grammar.
For official information about the Coronavirus, please visit:
The TTU IT Division recommends the following cybersecurity practices to protect yourself and TTU resources from these and other email scams:
- Verify the legitimacy of any email solicitation by contacting the organization directly through a trusted contact number;
- Do not click on links contained within an email, unless you are certain of the sender's identity and expecting the information; visit askIT for tips on viewing the actual sender's identity rather than what is displayed in the email message.
- Do not open attachments, unless you are certain of the sender's identity and expecting the information; again visit askIT for tips.
- Only install mobile apps from the iTunes store or Google Play store. These apps have been vetted and confirmed to be safe by Apple and Google;
- Delete and do not reply to any suspicious or suspect emails;
- Update your desktop, laptop, and/or mobile device anti-virus software; and
- Keep current on critical system updates:
We encourage you to be vigilant in practicing cybersecurity. You can find additional cybersecurity tips online at http://cybersecurity.ttu.edu. For more information or questions, please contact IT Help Central at (806) 742-4357 (HELP) or via email at ithelpcentral@ttu.edu.
