As COVID-19 continues to spread, people across the globe are turning to new habits like working from home and visiting doctors online or over the phone. With the influx of shared digital information, the security of our most sensitive information is top of mind for many of us. In fact, reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveal attempted cyberattacks have doubled since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. As cybercriminals swarm to take advantage of the amount of time and information people are spending and sharing online, already overburdened cybersecurity companies are fighting to keep information safe and breaches low.
A recent blog from McAfee discusses how the spread of COVID-19 has spurred hackers to adopt new approaches that take advantage of the public’s quest for knowledge on the disease. Some reports share that hackers are even developing and sharing apps that map the coronavirus spread to steal credit card information and even install malware that spies on users. Further, while company IT departments can shore up their own networks, home networks can be a digital welcome mat. From unsecured routers to simple passwords, bad actors have too many new, easy targets virtually overnight.
With regard to personal data we’re now sharing more often online, it’s worth stating that over 75% of the health care industry has been infected with malware over the past year alone. As more patients opt to utilize telehealth services, it’s clear that hackers have wasted zero time in capitalizing on the influx of shared personal information. Smart cybersecurity leaders are offering ransomware and security assistance to health care providers to ensure safety and continuity during the pandemic. Even so, the massive amounts of personal information being shared during this time has hackers working overtime.
Live video streaming has also increased with new remote learning and work-from-home policies, as well as a massive uptick in the amount of time people are spending streaming video. In fact, streaming has become so popular during the pandemic that businesses like Facebook and Disney have been required to downgrade their streaming quality in Europe to help stabilize IT infrastructure.
It’s crucial that work-from-home and remote learning participants ensure their information is secure. This includes protecting their location and being weary of any extra software downloads during this time.
As coronavirus-related cybercrime ramps up, companies specializing in cybersecurity are seeing the dire need to step up. Because security analysts are constantly bombarded with potential threats (many receiving in the neighborhood of thousands to millions per day), the vertical is seeing a rise in the use of machine learning and other automated tools to help supplement their workload. In addition, a major need has emerged in the industry for a compilation of information about specific cyberattacks that security analysts can quickly reference to provide efficient responses.
TruKno, an Comprise client, recently launched a curated search platform to help CISOs, CIOs and other industry professionals access all of the critical information related to any given threat in one place, helping analysts to educate and empower themselves and — perhaps most importantly — quickly find solutions as the number of cyber threats grows even larger throughout the course of this pandemic. This platform is the first of its kind for the cybersecurity industry and is aimed to assist those on the front lines in getting everything they need to help protect our information.
The bottom line here is that hackers generally love to strike whenever there is a crisis. During these times, people and businesses often move quickly and express behavior that varies from the norm. Hackers take advantage of this by playing into our fears and constant need for information — and now, our need for connectivity on both professional and personal levels during stay-at-home orders. It’s important to protect yourself from cyberattacks all the time, but especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and in inevitable future events.
Businesses are in a unique position to lead the way by taking innovative measures to ensure their information and the information of their customers remains safe in times of potentially massive breaches, and cybersecurity professionals should continue to utilize every available tool that helps them move quickly in the fight to secure our most sensitive information.
For more information on the latest breaches in your industry, visit http://www.trukno.com.
