Fake news may hide a cyber attack

• S2 Grupo has ensured that for this reason social awareness is essential to prevent the spread of false news.
• The S2 Grupo team has established recommendations to prevent the propagation of hoaxes. For example, reporting fake news about covid-19 on social networks is very useful in combatting disinformation and the action of cybercriminals.
• The objective of these criminal actions can range from affecting the reputation of an entity or company to spreading malware that affects the continuity of a business, for example.

Valencia, April 28, 2020.-

The Valencian company S2 Grupo, specialized in cybersecurity and cyber-intelligence, has warned that fake news is one of the major cybersecurity problems in recent years, and that it has worsened even more with the current health crisis. For this reason, experts from the company have assured us that, in view of the current situation we are experiencing, it is key that we become socially aware of the serious effect that they cany have if we contribute to their propagation. “The health crisis we are experiencing has generated a more than considerable amount of information that is also used by cybercriminals. Along with the information, fake news is disseminated, especially through social networks or whatsapps, and this is used to generate more sophisticated cyberattacks", said José Rosell, managing-partner of S2 Grupo. “Hoaxes can spread malware or generate social engineering attacks that jeopardize the reputation or continuity of an entity or a company’s activity or business. Fake news spread so quickly that if a certain action is called for, sending emails for example, they can completely block an organization. We have to take into account that, behind the fake news, a cyber-attack may be orchestrated. These news force us to pay attention to a blockade, for example, and in the meantime cybercriminals sneak in through another place", said Miguel A. Juan, managing-partner of S2 Grupo. The cybersecurity company has shared these recommendations to prevent the spread of hoaxes over the coronavirus:

1. Do not believe everything you read and run away from tabloid headlines.
2. When in doubt, check the information on official sources or websites.
3. Do not spread hoaxes on social networks or whatsapps no matter how striking or funny they may seem.
4. Teach young and old, the most vulnerable groups, how to identify fake news.
5. Be careful with what you publish on social networks.
6. Report on each social network every false information that we detect.

  More information: prensa@s2grupo.es