Euro 2016 cyber crime warning

Tuesday 14 June 2016

Jersey IT firm Logicalis has warned computer users that cyber criminals are using Euro 2016 to spread viruses.

The firm says that football fans are at risk of downloading the malware by clicking on fake links when they google for Euro 2016 schedules, or other information related to the sporting events.

Logicalis Business Development and Technical Director, Tom Bale, said: “Cyber criminals latch onto any opportunity that might make people more likely to download their viruses and Euro 2016 is such a popular event a lot of people will be searching for information about it."

Mr Bale added: “The Cyber criminals may set up websites that look like official sites that users would trust. They pay to get the sites high up in Google’s rankings so they appear in searches for Euro 2016.

“A client of ours was hit by ransomware this week. The user who infected the site told us he was searching Google for Euro 2016 schedules, and he clicked a link to download what sounds like an i-cal type file to enter all matches into his Outlook calendar.

“This downloaded the Locky ransomware malware which started to encrypt the servers, their drop box folders etc. There will be plenty of this out there.”

Logicalis provide integrated IT solutions and managed services to offshore clients and cyber security is a growing area of concern. Ransomware works by encrypting all your data and locking it down until you pay a ransom. If you pay up, the cyber criminals may then provide a key unlocking the data, or they will destroy it.

Tom said: “Websites infected with Ransomware and other nasties are on the increase so be extra careful what you click on. It’s very easy for one person to end up putting their own, and their company’s systems at risk. We would like to warn people about this and advise to ‘think before you click’.”