Just when you think they cannot sink any lower, criminal internet scum are now exploiting the Parkland tragedy in Florida. Unfortunately, from this spot I have been warning about these lowlifes before when earlier similar incidents like this happened.
You need to remind your employees, friends and family... again.
Phishers are—and are going to be— sending scams your way, varying from blood drives to pleas for charitable contributions for victims and their families. Additional attack vectors are tweets from political propaganda bots and Russia-linked Twitter accounts about gun control.
Unfortunately, this type of scam is the worst kind of phishbait, and it is a very good idea to inoculate people before they get suckered into falling for a scam like this. I suggest you send the following short alert to as many people as you can, and feel free to copy/paste/edit to make this fit for your organization.
It is unfortunate that we continue to have to warn against the bad guys on the internet that use these tragedies for their own benefit. For KnowBe4 customers, today we will have two new phishing security test templates related to this topic in the Current Events - and I strongly suggest you send one or two this week:[ALERT] "Lowlife internet scum is trying to benefit from the Florida Parkland school shootings. They are now sending out phishing campaigns with topics and hashtags like Parkland, guncontrolnow, Florida, guncontrol, and Nikolas Cruz that try to trick you into clicking on a variety of links about blood drives, charitable donations, "inside" information or "exclusive" videos. Don't let them shock you into clicking on anything, or open possibly dangerous attachments you did not ask for!
Anything you receive about the Parkland shooting, be very suspicious. With this topic, think three times before you click or tap your phone. It is very possible that it is a scam, even though it might look legit or was forwarded to you by a friend -- be especially careful when it seems to come from someone you know through email, a text or social media postings because their account may be hacked.
In case you want to donate to charity, go to your usual charity by typing their name in the address bar of your browser and do not click on a link in any email. Remember, these precautions are just as important at the house as in the office, and tell your family."
- A friend has asked you to donate blood - find your nearest blood drive/blood center
- Donations for Families of Parkland Shooting Victims - internal HR style email
Let's stay safe out there.
Warm regards,
Stu Sjouwerman,
Founder and CEO, KnowBe4, Inc
