Cyber threats still rampant amidst the COVID-19 epidemic
You would think cybercriminals and internet scammers would at least take some pity on business owners and internet users trying to stay afloat because of the current world condition, but on the contrary, many are still taking advantage of the state of fear, confusion, and uncertainty.
Cyber-intelligence research companies are seeing an increase in cybercrime since the middle of January 2020. These cybercriminals are taking advantage of the pandemic much to the dismay of unprepared businesses. Online businesses or websites that don’t have domain security and SSL certificates must apply for it as soon as possible – this is not just a matter of personal security but for the web users as well.
Photo via Pixabay/Cristian Rodri
What types of attacks are happening so far?
Cyberattacks have continued and increased in volume along with the level of sophistication and creativity. As stated, we’re experiencing a massive increase in cyber threat indicators made up of conversations observed and uncovered in the dark web, hackers’ forums, and closed communities linking to the Coronavirus pandemic.
The techniques employed by hackers for data breaches and exploits are different, most of which is spear-phishing campaigns targeting at weakly secured companies. This lures individuals into opening malware-laced emails or clicking hyperlinks whether on web and social sites.
Phishing emails usually contain ‘Covid-19’, ‘coronavirus’, ‘pandemic’, and their variations. These malicious emails would also try impersonating senders to increase the perception of authenticity, tricking recipients into opening them and flooding malware into machines and networks. Subject lines and content are also used to lure recipients with pandemic news updates and cures.
Misrepresentation
Hackers are also fanning global tensions by defacing websites to cause negative social effects on specific communities. The WorldofMeters website, for instance, was hit with a DDoS attack where hackers grossly inflated the figures of COVID-19 deaths. This misinformation is a way for criminals to spread fear and incite unrest.
Affected industries
Regrettably, no industry is fully immune to cyberattacks in our current situation, healthcare providers and medical research laboratories are more vulnerable. Logistics, manufacturing, financial services, e-commerce, retail, hospitality, and other niche markets are targets of hacker groups.
Cybersecurity consideration sometimes becomes an afterthought for businesses that are rapidly digitizing their systems and processes in their efforts to support telecommuting. These companies may pay a high price when a weak link is discovered and exploited by hackers.
The post-pandemic world is now far different from what we are familiar with, transforming business models and redefining how work is carried out. Factory and manufacturing processes are now moving towards AI, RPA, and robotics to minimize human error; supply chain and logistics industries are accelerating their adoption of commercial drones and blockchain in a bid to remove the added layer of human contact.
A vast majority of people now work remotely and access corporate data via potentially unprotected home network. Your customers also stay at home and chances are your website may get more traffic as normal. This is a ripe season for hackers, so businesses like you require measures including VPN and SSL certificates to keep both corporate and customer data safe.
There’s one thing we know for sure – our new and upcoming post-pandemic world will continue to be highly digital and interconnected. Ensuring that your business is safe on the internet is key to flourishing come what may.
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