PRIVACY ALERT: Scammers using fake Coronavirus notifications to spread ransomware

WARNING:

Computer viruses like ransomware are being spread by taking advantage of your natural instinct to act quickly and stay informed. Cyber criminals are adapting the messages they’re sending out in their spam emails and phishing attacks to focus on COVID-19. Insurance companies are warning businesses to educate staff about these new types of attacks. Here is a sample of the types of messages hackers are sending out attempting to get you to click dangerous links:

• Expert protection advice
• “Interesting facts”
• Disease centre alerts
• Information on the spread of COVID-19
• Offers to invest in cures
• Economic analysis

These emails can contain malicious links and files that will infect your computers and your network, or direct you to websites that might look legitimately like they belong to a health authority but are really there to steal important information. These attacks are designed to breach the privacy of the patient information in your care. Read about the flood of COVID-19 cyber scams here. Read about the growth of COVID-19 themed cyber attacks in healthcare here. It is important to stay vigilant. Over 90% of patients state they expect you to protect the privacy of the information trusted to you. Privacy regulations are not on hold, you still have responsibility to protect patient information. Getting through this crisis just to come face to face with privacy breach investigations will only make recovery more arduous. We’re here to help you get through this safely. Now is the time to ramp up usage of your Secure-Mail account to communicate securely with patients and other providers. Your Secure-Mail does not allow these types of messages through. And, you can invite anyone, including patients to communicate with you for free. To learn more about how you can use Secure-Mail to protect your practice during this crisis, visit https://support.brightsquid.com/hc/en-us.

To request your free Secure-Mail account visit https://brightsquid.com/pages/virtual-care-for-covid-19.