Election Emails May Hide Computer Viruses

Hackers are taking advantage of the contentious U.S. election to craft phishing emails targeted at curious voters. “People should expect that the theme of the election will be used as a lure – whether it’s to influence the election or not,” said Oren Falkowitz, chief executive officer of Area 1 Security and former National Security Agency analyst. “It’s part of the dynamic that people are going to use to gain access and cause harm.” The deluge of election-related materials online, over the phone, and in emails may lead people to have their guard down. By clicking on an infected link, users open malware on their computer, which hackers use to obtain confidential information. “You might see, as an example, something like ‘Click here to get a free bus ride to the polling station,’ or ‘Hey, go to this precinct’ or ‘Hey, don’t go to this precinct,’” Falkowitz said.