We recently became aware of a malicious website impersonating a credible one dedicated to providing information on the global incidence of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The site being spoofed is the live map for COVID-19 Global Cases from Johns Hopkins University. Note: This is a link to the credible website.

Visiting this fake website [corona-virus-map[dot]com] will expose a user to the dangerous AZORult trojan, which steals information, including confidential and sensitive data. This malware has been noted to be found in fake email attachments and posted in online ads, although there are other venues by which you might come across it. 

Unfortunately, this dangerous website may not be the only COVID-19 hoax circulating on the Internet. In recent weeks, there's been a rise in number of website domains registered related to COVID-19, and it is unclear whether they are all legitimate domains or if some are being deployed by cyber criminals. Read more here.

We encourage you to exercise caution when searching online, responding to emails, or opening attachments. Check carefully when opening emails from unknown senders or outside groups even if they appear to be reputable.  

Here are some suggested guidelines on how to protect yourself from these types of online and email impersonators.

With all best regards,

David B. Hoyt, MD, FACS
Executive Director, American College of Surgeons

Brian Harper
Director of Information Technology, American College of Surgeons