--- title: "Cyber Security News Update, Week 30 of 2020 | DuoCircle" description: "It’s always good when you can get a heads up on scams coming at you. This one courtesy of TechRepublic." image: "https://www.duocircle.com/images/og-default.png" canonical: "https://www.duocircle.com/blog/announcements/cyber-security-news-update-week-30-of-2020/" --- Quick Answer TechRepublic published the most-clicked phishing email subject lines, including password expiration notices, IT helpdesk tickets, and shipping-status messages. The FTC is being impersonated in scam emails offering pandemic relief refunds. Ransomware activity continues to climb, with REvil, Maze, and DoppelPaymer hitting U.S. and EU targets weekly. Verizon's 2020 DBIR continues to anchor the weekly trend baseline. The high-profile Twitter compromise of Obama, Biden, Bezos, Musk, and others was traced to social-engineering of Twitter staff that gave attackers admin-tool access. And researchers at the University of Oxford and Imperial College working on COVID-19 vaccines are being targeted by Russian APT29 (Cozy Bear) phishing operations seeking research data. Share [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=undefined%2Fblog%2Fannouncements%2Fcyber-security-news-update-week-30-of-2020%2F "Share on LinkedIn") [ ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Cyber%20Security%20News%20Update%2C%20Week%2030%20of%202020&url=undefined%2Fblog%2Fannouncements%2Fcyber-security-news-update-week-30-of-2020%2F "Share on X/Twitter") [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=undefined%2Fblog%2Fannouncements%2Fcyber-security-news-update-week-30-of-2020%2F "Share on Facebook") [ ](https://reddit.com/submit?url=undefined%2Fblog%2Fannouncements%2Fcyber-security-news-update-week-30-of-2020%2F&title=Cyber%20Security%20News%20Update%2C%20Week%2030%20of%202020 "Share on Reddit") [ ](mailto:?subject=Cyber%20Security%20News%20Update%2C%20Week%2030%20of%202020&body=Check out this article: undefined%2Fblog%2Fannouncements%2Fcyber-security-news-update-week-30-of-2020%2F "Share via Email") ![Cyber Security](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2020/07/sendgrid-alternative-6824.jpg) _It’s always good when you can get a heads up on scams coming at you_. This one courtesy of [TechRepublic](https://www.techrepublic.com/article/watch-out-for-these-subject-lines-in-email-phishing-attacks/). According to an article there, here are the **phishing email** subject lines you need to be on the lookout for: 1. Password Check Required Immediately 2. Vacation Policy Update 3. Branch/Corporate Reopening Schedule 4. COVID-19 Awareness 5. Coronavirus Stimulus Checks 6. List of Rescheduled Meetings Due to COVID-19 7. Confidential Information on COVID-19 8. COVID-19, Now airborne, Increased community transmission 9. Fedex Tracking 10. Your meeting attendees are waiting! Thanks to TechRepublic for that. ## FTC Scam _Expecting some grant money for COVID-19 relief? Forget about it; it’s a scam._ [This](http://news.monroelocal.org/scam-alert-ftc-warns-of-phishing-scheme-offering-covid-19-grant-money/) from a local news site, “_Recently, people are stepping forward reporting to BBB’s ScamTracker they’ve received an email_, message through Instagram, or a text message from a friend stating they’ll get money from a COVID-19 ‘Global Empowerment Fund’ or other similarly named fund. All the recipient is required to do is respond to the message with banking account information and the funds will be transferred to it. The messaging **sounds legitimate** because it claims to come from the Federal Trade Commission or another government agent. However, _the FTC warns there is no money and there is no fund of such kind.” You’ve been warned_. ## Phishing Phrontier _Cloud technology is used for everything today, and apparently that includes launching a phishing attack_. The victim this time? Google Cloud Services. According to [SC Magazine](https://www.scmagazine.com/home/security-news/cloud-security/phishing-attack-hid-in-google-cloud-services/), “In a report released today, researchers at Check Point unravel, step-by-step, _how even security-savvy professionals could be tricked by a well-disguised ruse_, which kicked off with a PDF document containing a **malicious link** and uploaded to Google Drive. While Google ultimately suspended this particular hacker project and its URL as **phishing abuse** (as well as all associated URLs), _it’s unclear how much damage might have been inflicted before being discovered.”_ ## Ransomware Attacks [![News](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2020/07/SMTP-relay-6824-1.jpg)](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2020/07/SMTP-relay-6824-1.jpg) Well here’s a clever twist on ransomware. _Normally ransomware encrypts a company’s data and asks for a ransom in exchange for encrypting the data_. Now, [news](https://www.securityweek.com/seven-ransomware-families-target-industrial-software) comes out this week that there’s ransomware targeting…industrial software. Rather than **encrypt data** and ask for a ransom, this attack kills operational processes and asks for a ransom. “_Many ransomware families are designed to kill certain types of running processes_. They might target security products to prevent them from blocking the attack and they can also terminate critical system processes.” ## Body Count This was not a good week to be a US Presidential candidate. According to [SC Magazine](https://www.scmagazine.com/home/security-news/biden-gates-twitter-hacked-in-cryptocurrency-scam/), Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for President, had his **Twitter account hacked**. “Verified Twitter accounts belonging to high-profile individuals like Joe Biden promised followers a large pay out if they’d just send bitcoin to a block chain address, ostensibly to donate to Covid-19 community aid, after the social media platform was breached.” That wasn’t the end of it. ## Twitter Attack _This was not a good week to be a tech icon either_. According to [Security Week](https://www.securityweek.com/twitter-accounts-apple-musk-gates-hacked-scam) the Twitter accounts of some of the biggest tech companies and tech leaders were hit with the same **Twitter attack**. “_The official Twitter accounts of Apple, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and others were hijacked on Wednesday by scammers trying to dupe people into sending cryptocurrency bitcoin, in a massive hack._” Former President Barack Obama was also a victim. So, I guess it doesn’t matter if you’re running for President or you were already President. Those are equal opportunity hackers. ## Scientist Phishing Attack [![email security services](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2020/07/sendgrid-alternative-6582.jpg)](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2020/07/sendgrid-alternative-6582.jpg) _Finally, this was also not a good week to be a scientist investigating coronavirus_. From [ZDNet](https://www.zdnet.com/article/russian-hackers-are-targeting-coronavirus-scientists-with-phishing-and-malware-attacks/), “Russian hackers are targeting coronavirus scientists with **phishing and malware attacks**. Advisory from the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre warns of an active **spear-phishing campaign** by APT 29, a hacking group associated with Russian intelligence services, in an effort to steal research data.” They advised using [email security services](/). Next week can’t get here soon enough. And that’s the week that was. ![Brad Slavin](https://media.mailhop.org/dmarcreport/images/team/brad-slavin.jpg) Brad Slavin General Manager General Manager at DuoCircle. Product strategy and commercial lead across the email security portfolio. ## Secure your email infrastructure Protect, authenticate, and deliver. Contact our team to find the right solution. [Contact Sales](/contact/) [Explore Products](/products/) Share this article [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.duocircle.com%2Fblog%2Fannouncements%2Fcyber-security-news-update-week-30-of-2020%2F) [ ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Cyber%20Security%20News%20Update%2C%20Week%2030%20of%202020&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.duocircle.com%2Fblog%2Fannouncements%2Fcyber-security-news-update-week-30-of-2020%2F) [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.duocircle.com%2Fblog%2Fannouncements%2Fcyber-security-news-update-week-30-of-2020%2F) Copy Related Articles - [ ![spam](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2021/07/sender-policy-framework-7535.jpg) Alert: Fix SPF & DKIM Settings For Your Email Forwarding Set Up Through Microsoft o365 SMTP Server Or Your Emails May End Up In Spam News ](/blog/announcements/alert-fix-spf-dkim-settings-for-your-email-forwarding-set-up-through-microsoft-o365-smtp-server-or-your-emails-may-end-up-in-spam/) - [ ![Spam](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2016/05/spf-permerror-3256.jpg) April Spam Filtering Uptime Report News ](/blog/announcements/april-spam-filtering-uptime-report/) - [ ![Spam Filtering](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2023/02/spf-record-tester-7226.jpg) Changes to Spam Filtering Technology News ](/blog/announcements/changes-to-spam-filtering-technology/) - [ ![Cyber Security](https://media.mailhop.org/duocircle/images/2020/01/spf-permerror-7312.jpg) Cyber Security News Update, Week 1 of 2020 News ](/blog/announcements/cyber-security-news-update-week-1-of-2020/) ## Related Articles [ News 3m Alert: Fix SPF & DKIM Settings For Your Email Forwarding Set Up Through Microsoft o365 SMTP Server Or Your Emails May End Up In Spam Jul 20, 2021 ](/blog/announcements/alert-fix-spf-dkim-settings-for-your-email-forwarding-set-up-through-microsoft-o365-smtp-server-or-your-emails-may-end-up-in-spam/)[ News 1m April Spam Filtering Uptime Report May 4, 2016 ](/blog/announcements/april-spam-filtering-uptime-report/)[ News 2m Changes to Spam Filtering Technology Feb 8, 2023 ](/blog/announcements/changes-to-spam-filtering-technology/)[ News 4m Cyber Security News Update, Week 1 of 2020 Jan 3, 2020 ](/blog/announcements/cyber-security-news-update-week-1-of-2020/) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Organization","name":"DuoCircle LLC","url":"https://www.duocircle.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.duocircle.com/images/duocircle-logo.png"},"description":"DuoCircle is a portfolio of specialized email products covering protection, authentication, delivery, and routing. 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