Grenada’s Government condemns Phishing attacks on social media profiles

The Government of Grenada and Cyber Security Incident Response Team have expressed their concern regarding the increase in phishing attacks levelled against social media accounts and pages such as Facebook and WhatsApp of the nationals of the island nation.

Along with that, the Grenada National Cyber Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT Grenada) has also expressed its concerns about malicious content being shared through sponsored posts and the surge in fake lookalike profiles.

Noting the above-mentioned, the government of Grenada stated, “We are also deeply troubled by the number of reported cases of compromised accounts resulting from users falling victim to these attacks.” 

The Cyber Security Incident Response Team of Grenada reminded the citizens about the steps to be followed in order to tackle phishing attacks on social media profiles and pages. The steps include,

• The team requested that people should avoid accepting the friend requests of an unknown person on social media. 
• The team asked the nationals to avoid accepting the friend request just because someone they know has done so.
• The team has requested citizens to be careful and always ensure that they refrain from replying to or clicking on any links without checking whether the message is coming from the entity it purports to be coming from.
• The team has also asked not to share any code with anyone until they are prepared to give up control of their account or device. 

The government of Grenada and the Cyber Security Incident Response Team have also asked people to look out for fake content that seeks to dupe their profile. For this, people should avoid sharing their personal information, should avoid visiting malicious websites or should not invest in get-rich schemes, which will subsequently result in them losing their money.

Moreover, the administration also shared the steps ensuring online safety and security. The measures include,

• They asked the people to ensure that the strong password or passphrases should be used. 
• They advised people to keep their devices and software updated.
• They also asked the citizens to assess all the links and attachments they receive before clicking on them or downloading them. 
• They also advised the residents to enable two-factor authentication as and when the option is available. 

The Government of Grenada and Cyber Security Incident Response Team stated that people who need any help in verifying their content or for general online safety information can reach out to the National Cyber Security Incident Response Team. They have also shared the contact details; the people who want to seek any help can either contact them through WhatsApp and Telegram at the number (473) 423-2478 or through email id at csirtgnd@gov.gd. The people can also contact us through Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @csirtgnd.