April 24, 2025 By Pierluigi Paganini
Crooks exploit the death of Pope Francis, using public curiosity and emotion to launch scams and spread malware, an old tactic during global events.
After Pope Francis’ death, cybercriminals launched scams and malware attacks, exploiting public curiosity, grief, and confusion.
Cybercriminals are ready to exploit any event of global interest, it has already happened in the past during events like Queen Elizabeth II’s death or the COVID-19 pandemic. Check Point Research calls this trend “cyber threat opportunism,” noting similar spikes during COVID-19, when Google saw 18M+ daily virus-related scam emails.
These emotionally charged moments are fertile ground for digital exploitation. The emotional vulnerability of users makes them prime targets for attackers seeking clicks, personal data, or financial information.
