The TTU IT Division warns the community to remain vigilant for malicious cyber activity that capitalizes on the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) topic.

Internet criminals using emails and social media posts requesting donations for duplicitous charitable organizations commonly appear after major natural disasters or high-profile incidents, such as the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. We advise the community to exercise caution in handling any email with subject line, attachments, or hyperlinks related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) topic. Fraudulent communication will often contain links or attachments that direct users to phishing or malware-infected websites. In some cases, these attempts to steal your identity are very sophisticated, complete with professional logos and fluent grammar.

For official information about the Coronavirus, please visit: CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019 website

The TTU IT Division recommends the following cybersecurity practices to protect yourself from this and other email scams:

• Verify the legitimacy of any email solicitation by contacting the organization directly through a trusted contact number.
• Do not click on links contained within an email, unless you are certain of the sender's identity and expecting the information;
• Do not open attachments, unless you are certain of the sender's identity and expecting the information;
• Delete and do not reply to any suspicious or suspect emails;
• Update your desktop, laptop, and/or mobile device anti-virus software; and
• Keep current on critical system updates:
  • Windows
  • macOS
  • iOS and iPadOS
  • Android