The Ebola epidemic has migrated online, where cybercriminals are using the virus to infect more people with malware.
Last week, the United States Computer Readiness Team, a division of the Department of Homeland Security, issued an advisory warning users about spam campaigns that used the Ebola virus to bait users into clicking on malicious web links or attachments. This week, Trustwave, a private security and compliance consulting company, discovered several Ebola-themed threats.
One email purporting to be from the World Health Organization included a bogus file that claimed to include Ebola safety tips. Once downloaded, the file dropped a program onto the victim’s machine that evaded antivirus defenses. The program can do everything from grab shots off the victim’s webcam, record sounds from their computer’s microphone, take control of their desktop remotely, modify and upload files and steal passwords.
![A malicious email purported to be from the World Health Organization, inviting people to download an attachment for more information about Ebola.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/dentonfracking/20141029175542im_/http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/10/23/technology/23bits-ebolahack1/23bits-ebolahack1-blog480.png)
Another Ebola-themed email claims to be from the Mexican government and includes a fake advisory about the status of Ebola in Mexico. The email entices the victim to load the content, which downloads malware onto their machine.
![A fake email purporting to be from the Mexican government warning of Ebola risks baited victims into downloading malware.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/dentonfracking/20141029175542im_/http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/10/23/technology/23bits-ebolahack2/23bits-ebolahack2-blog480.jpg)
Trustwave’s security researchers say the bulk of Ebola emails are run-of-the-mill spam that contain links to ads, gaming forums, or pharmaceutical websites. The emails, which contain subject lines like “You won’t believe what Obamacare & Ebola have in common” and “First GMO foods, now Ebola. What Obama doesn’t want you to know” are not as malicious as those purporting to be from the World Health Organization or Mexican government, but a nuisance nevertheless.
![Researchers from Trustwave said there has been a spike in Ebola-themed spam campaigns over the last two weeks.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/dentonfracking/20141029175542im_/http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2014/10/23/technology/23bits-ebolahack3/23bits-ebolahack3-blog480.jpg)
Cybercriminals have long exploited newsy events to send out malicious email and spam. The United States Computer Readiness Team advises users to be wary of unsolicited links or attachments, turn off features that automatically download email attachments and keep their antivirus settings up to date.
“Unsurprisingly, cybercriminals have continued to piggyback on newsworthy and major events, disasters and outbreaks to lure potential victims and spread their malware,” Trustwave spokeswoman Abby Ross wrote in an email. “We are echoing their recommendation of never following unsolicited web links or attachments in email messages, particularly Ebola-themed ones.”