• India
  • Business
  • World
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Auto
  • Lifestyle
More
Hindi Tamil Telugu
More
In the news
Narendra Modi
Amit Shah
Box Office Collection
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
OTT releases
Hindi Tamil Telugu
User Placeholder

Hi,

Logout

India
Business
World
Politics
Sports
Technology
Entertainment
Auto
Lifestyle
Inspirational
Career
Bengaluru
Delhi
Mumbai

Download Android App

Follow us on
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
Home / News / Technology News / Amid coronavirus crisis, Iran-linked hackers tried accessing WHO staff emails
Next Article
Amid coronavirus crisis, Iran-linked hackers tried accessing WHO staff emails

Amid coronavirus crisis, Iran-linked hackers tried accessing WHO staff emails

By Shubham Sharma
Apr 03, 2020
10:08 pm

What's the story

The outbreak of COVID-19 around the world - and the fear stemming from it - has made hackers more potent in their activities.

We have seen a significant rise in phishing attacks revolving around the disease, and now, reports have suggested that the staff of the World Health Organization has also been targeted, by an Iran-linked group of hackers.

Here's what went down.

Hack

Personal email accounts targeted by attackers

After speaking to people familiar with the internal developments at WHO, Reuters has discovered that hackers working in the interests of the Iranian government tried compromising the personal email accounts of some WHO staffers.

They launched a series of phishing attacks over the last month to gain access to staff's login-password details and eventually access their messages.

You're
20%
through

Details

Phishing messages mimicking Google services

According to the sources, the phishing attack began on March 2 through email messages claiming to be from Google services.

"We've seen some targeting by what looks like Iranian government-backed attackers targeting international health organizations generally via phishing," one of the sources told the outlet, which also verified the claims by reviewing the malicious websites the emails led to and other forensic data.

You're
40%
through

Theft

No clarity on whether any data was compromised

As of now, there is no clarity on how many WHO staffers were targeted in this attack or if any of their email accounts were actually compromised and information was stolen.

A spokesperson from WHO confirmed the hacking attempt to Reuters but said, "To the best of our knowledge, none of these hacking attempts were successful."

You're
60%
through

Information

Meanwhile, Iran denies any involvement

A spokesperson at Iran's IT ministry, on the other hand, denied any involvement, telling the agency that "these are all sheer lies to put more pressure on Iran. Iran has been a victim of hacking."

You're
80%
through

Rise

Hacking attempts on health agencies have increased since COVID-19

The attack on WHO staff comes as COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc across countries and hackers keep taking advantage of the situation to spread malware and steal critical information and money.

Ever since the disease, which has killed over 50,000 worldwide, started spreading, attacks on the WHO and its partner health agencies alone have more than doubled.

Done!
Facebook
Whatsapp
Twitter
Linkedin
Related News
Latest
Iran
World Health Organization
Reuters
Cybersecurity

Latest

'Housefull 5' trailer set for grand launch next week  Abhishek Bachchan
Know Salman Khan, was invited, says woman arrested for trespassing Salman Khan
IPL 2025, RCB vs SRH: Key player match-ups Indian Premier League (IPL)
Ben Duckett floors Zimbabwe with his 5th Test century: Stats Ben Duckett

Iran

Pakistan-backed terror hits India, Iran; Sushma Swaraj makes Tehran stopover India
Iran unveils first semi-heavy missile-equipped submarine Hassan Rouhani
Iran adhering to terms of nuclear deal: UN atomic watchdog Donald Trump
Wondering where Abhinandan Varthaman got indomitable strength from? His mother Iraq

World Health Organization

China, India record maximum number of deaths by air pollution Health & Wellness
WHO report: 1 in 4 healthcare centers lacks basic facilities UNICEF
#HealthBytes: Top 5 food-items that can help you quit smoking India
#HealthBytes: Top 5 food-items that can help you quit smoking India

Reuters

Indian GDP numbers announced, leave experts flummoxed India
Migrant crisis: Is Italy gearing up to close its ports? Italy
Sierra Leone mudslides: President Koroma appeals for urgent help Sierra Leone
How to secure cryptocurrency? Do's and Don'ts Cryptocurrency

Cybersecurity

Firefox affected by critical flaw, update it immediately macOS
Hackers using fears over coronavirus to spread malware, steal data Malware
Hackers are infecting PCs, stealing passwords with coronavirus maps Malware
Watch out! Phishing attacks around coronavirus spike by over 600% United States of America
Indian Premier League (IPL) Celebrity Hollywood Bollywood UEFA Champions League Tennis Football Smartphones Cryptocurrency Upcoming Movies Premier League Cricket News Latest automobiles Latest Cars Upcoming Cars Latest Bikes Upcoming Tablets
About Us Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions Contact Us Ethical Conduct Grievance Redressal News News Archive Topics Archive Download DevBytes Find Cricket Statistics
Follow us on
Facebook Twitter Linkedin
All rights reserved © NewsBytes 2025