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Hackers see any major event as an opportunity for sabotage or manipulation and the global spread of COVID-19 is a prime example of this. Since the first news stories broke, cybercriminals have been active with malware and phishing campaigns using coronavirus-themed lures. In light of this, Cyware has created this resource to collect and share live updates on the latest COVID-19-related threat intelligence, alerts, malware attacks, phishing attacks, scams and more. We are actively working to keep this page updated and accurate in order to ensure that it is timely and relevant to as many people as possible.
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(August 21, 2020)
Industrial Control Systems are at more risks during coronavirus
Seven in 10 security vulnerabilities affecting industrial control systems (ICS) can be exploited remotely, giving state-sponsored malicious actors a leg up. The risk has been exacerbated by the increased reliance on remote access to ICS networks amid the COVID-19 pandemic. State-sponsored malicious threat actors have been using remotely-exploitable flaws to disrupt critical systems in rival nations.
Ref - Bitdefender
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(August 20, 2020)
Working from home leading to security breaches
The COVID-19 pandemic shows little sign of slowing down, but for many businesses, employees are still working remotely and from home offices. While some companies are gearing towards reopening their standard office spaces in the coming months, they may also be facing repercussions of the rapid shift to remote working models in the cybersecurity space.
Ref - ZDNet
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(August 19, 2020)
Hackers attacked COVID-19 researchers in the U.S.
Hackers had locked down several servers used by the epidemiology and biostatistics department at the University of California at San Francisco and wanted a $3 million ransom to give them the keys. The UCSF negotiator said the attack couldn’t have come at a worse time. The department was racing to try to help develop some kind of treatment or vaccine for COVID-19.
Ref - Bloomberg
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(August 18, 2020)
Working from home is a bigger security risk - Verizon report
Verizon recently released an update to its 2020 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cybersecurity. The report found out increased security vulnerabilities and the emergence of new cyberattack tactics associated with the new reliance on remote workers. Now, many industries are moving to have their employees working almost exclusively online.
Ref - Security Boulevard
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(August 18, 2020)
The effect of coronavirus on healthcare cybersecurity
During the COVID-19 pandemic, risks to the healthcare industry’s fragile cybersecurity infrastructure are at an all-time high. From increased cyberattacks to exacerbated vulnerabilities to costly human errors, if healthcare cybersecurity wasn’t circling the drain before, COVID-19 sent it into a tailspin.
Ref - Malwarebytes
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(August 17, 2020)
COVID-19 themed cyberattacks are still active
Interpol has issued a warning about the rising levels of cybercriminal activity related to the COVID- 19 pandemic. Phishing attacks purporting to share information about any eagerly awaited COVID-19 vaccine will be launched long before it might ever become available. From January through April, roughly 907,000 spam messages, 737 incidents related to malware, and 48,000 malicious URLs have been tracked, which have some connection to COVID-19.
Ref - Barracuda
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(August 16, 2020)
Canadian site faces cyberattack that stole COVID-19 relief payments
According to the statement released by the Office of the Chief Information Officer of the Government of Canada, Canadian government sites, that are used to provide access to crucial services for immigration, pension, and benefits, have been breached in a coordinated attack to steal COVID-19 relief payments. Their GCKey system had also experienced a cyberattack. Using the "credential stuffing" technique, attackers managed to get into some 9,041 GCKey accounts of the total 12 million users.
Ref - Bleeping Computer
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(August 14, 2020)
COVID-19 changing the way hackers work and who they target
Amid COVID-19, hackers have presented opportunities on multiple fronts. They play on people’s concerns about the virus by presenting phishing schemes or malware disguised in fake Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerts that talk about the latest vaccine or treatment developments. Hackers quickly used the pandemic and related anxiety to lure people into phishing schemes and malware attacks.
Ref - Security Magazine
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(August 13, 2020)
Coronavirus-related cyber attacks increased up to 30%
Researchers at Check Point Software Technologies have seen 192,000 coronavirus-related cyber-attacks per week over the past three weeks, a 30 percent increase compared to previous weeks. In the past three weeks, almost 20,000 new coronavirus-related domains were registered, about 17 percent of which are malicious or suspicious. So far, since the beginning of the outbreak, a total of 90,284 new corona related domains have been registered globally.
Ref - Security Boulevard
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(August 12, 2020)
NHS targeted with scam emails amid COVID-19 pandemic
NHS staff were hit with a wave of malicious email attacks at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, with doctors, nurses, and other key workers reporting over 40,000 spam and phishing attacks between March and the first half of July. It is revealed that NHS staff reported 21,188 malicious emails in March alone. In April, 8,085 emails were reported by staff, with 5,883 emails reported in May, 6,468 in June and 1,484 in the first half of July.
Ref - ZDNet
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(August 11, 2020)
Cyber attackers targeting coronavirus small business loan program
The Department of Homeland Security’s cyber agency warned that a ‘malicious cyber actor’ is targeting a Small Business Administration (SBA) webpage used to funnel loans to businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. An unknown malicious cyber actor is found to be spoofing the Small Business Administration (SBA) COVID-19 loan relief webpage via phishing emails. These emails include a malicious link to the spoofed SBA website that the cyber actor is using for malicious redirects and credential stealing.
Ref - The Hill
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(August 11, 2020)
Threat actors also active in the race of coronavirus vaccine
Threat actors and hackers have been closely following the pandemic’s development globally. In the race for a vaccine, a double number of vaccine-related new coronavirus domains have been observed between June and July. In fact, 1 out of every 25 malicious coronavirus-related websites’ landing pages is vaccine-related. Cybercriminals are planning to take advantage of the latest developments.
Ref - Checkpoint
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(August 11, 2020)
Managing work from home risks through COVID-19 and beyond
Work from home (WFH) brings many benefits to organizations, but it creates risks by virtually inviting cyberattacks along multiple vectors. To stay protected, organizations should equip users to work securely from home, enable MFA as broadly as possible, and close the privileged attack vectors. Businesses around the world need to act towards ensuring security, by deploying security mechanisms such as MFA and through more comprehensive security program governance.
Ref - Security Boulevard
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(August 10, 2020)
Healthcare security lessons learned from COVID-19-themed cyber attacks
There are four lessons that can be distilled to help protect hospitals and healthcare divisions from COVID-19-themed cyber attacks. One of the most crucial lessons learned is inventory automation, i.e. knowing where each medical device was and its availability through the first surge. Second is prioritizing security to ensure that the automated inventory process is working smoothly. The third is implementing remediation and last is measuring the utilization of network resources.
Ref - Security Magazine
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(August 9, 2020)
A coronavirus-driven threat targeting Netflix users
As Netflix subscriber numbers rose by 10 million during the coronavirus lockdown months, so did the security threats. An alarming rise has been observed in the number of web addresses that have been explicitly registered so that cybercriminals can target Netflix users. A massive rise in phishing URLs targeting Netflix of 646% showed attackers are looking to capitalize on Netflix's growth.
Ref - Forbes
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(August 8, 2020)
A security change needed for COVID-19 work-from-home
A new report by Kaspersky suggests that the rapid shift to working from home has left corporate security in the lurch and recommends ways to improve support and security. The report ‘How COVID-19 changed the way people work’ came out of interviewing more than 6,000 people in 12 countries. It found that many businesses were ill-equipped to face homeworking security challenges.
Ref - Kaspersky
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(August 7, 2020)
Cyberattack with coronavirus crisis puts “Travelex” into administration
More than 1,300 UK jobs at foreign exchange company Travelex will be cut as a major cybersecurity attack in 2019 combined with this year’s COVID-19 slowdown taking their toll. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) has been appointed administrator, and through a complex restructuring deal, which has seen some of its assets sold, the company has raised £84m and saved 1,800 UK jobs. Reports also suggest that attackers probably used an unpatched vulnerability in Pulse Secure VPNs (CVE-2019-11510) for this attack.
Ref - Computer Weekly
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(August 8, 2020)
The US expanded its clean network to protect coronavirus vaccine research data
As concerns mount over China’s efforts to swipe intellectual property from U.S. companies, including the COVID-19 vaccine research, the State Department has expanded its Clean Network program to protect U.S. critical telecommunications and technology infrastructure. Among the key objectives is to push vaccine research and other sensitive information to secure clouds. The programs are rooted in internationally accepted digital trust standards.
Ref - SCMagazine
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(August 6, 2020)
Hacked data broker accounts used for phony COVID-19 loans
A group of thieves is thought to be responsible for collecting millions in fraudulent small business loans and unemployment insurance benefits from COVID-19 economic relief efforts. They were impersonating as genuine people by leveraging several compromised accounts at a little-known U.S. consumer data broker. They shared highly detailed personal and financial records on Americans via a free web-based email service.
Ref - Security Boulevard
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(August 5, 2020)
Half of the businesses hit by coronavirus related cyber attacks
According to the research of 416 security and 425 business executives by Forrester Consulting and Tenable, 41% of respondents reported the statistic related to COVID-19, while 94% of executives said that their firms experienced a business-impacting cyber-attack or compromise within the past 12 months. This results in a loss of a customer, employee, or other confidential data and interruption of day-to-day operations.
Ref - Infosecurity Magazine
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(August 5, 2020)
The second wave of COVID-19-themed cyber attacks
According to Interpol, a further increase in cyber attacks exploiting the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is highly likely shortly, particularly if there is substantial progress towards a vaccine. The organization said that should a vaccine become available, it was highly possible that there will be a second spike in phishing attacks related to vaccines and other medical products, as well as network intrusion and other attacks to steal research data.
Ref - Computer Weekly
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(August 5, 2020)
COVID-19 highlights the need for cooperation to prevent cyberattacks
As threat actors gain momentum with COVID-19-related malware and phishing scams, security and business leaders are concerned about the impact on the enterprise. According to a new report from Tenable, several businesses were already having a disconnect between an organization's business and security, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 outbreak. The report also suggested that by April, 41% of respondents had at least one cyberattack directly related to COVID-19 in the last 12 months.
Ref - Tech Republic
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(August 5, 2020)
Coronavirus leads to an increase in cyberattacks
According to the latest Global Incident Response Report by cybersecurity company VMware Carbon Black, security professionals have seen a surge in cyberattacks related to the coronavirus pandemic. Over half (53%) encountered or observed an increase in cyberattacks exploiting COVID-19, in the survey of incident response (IR) professionals from around the world.
Ref - Yahoo
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(August 4, 2020)
The impact of COVID-19 on ransomware, threats, and healthcare cybersecurity
COVID-19 has significantly shifted the threat landscape from attacks on individuals and small businesses to critical infrastructure, governments, and major corporations. Malicious cyberattacks were behind the majority of healthcare IT security incidents. From January to April on just one of the agency’s private sector partners, Interpol detected about 907,000 spam messages, 737 malware-related events, and 48,000 malicious URLs tied to COVID-19.
Ref - HealthITSecurity
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(August 4, 2020)
The growing rate of cyberattacks aimed at critical infrastructure
As COVID-19 cases around the United States continue to rise, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) says that governments are seeing an "alarming" rate of cyberattacks aimed at major corporations, governments, and critical infrastructure. Malicious actors have switched focus from "individuals and small businesses to government agencies and the healthcare sector, where higher financial demands can be made."
Ref - ABC News
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(August 4, 2020)
The top ten COVID-19 scams ongoing in the UK
A new report released by the UK's top lobbying body for the financial sector has revealed the top 10 scams used by fraud groups. Some fraudulent attempts seek to manipulate victims into investing in bogus business opportunities. According to UK Finance, the crème-de-la-crème of these swindles can be separated into three major categories: financial support scams, health, and lockdown scams.
Ref - SecurityBoulevard
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(August 3, 2020)
Pandemic changing security landscape at financial institutions
Due to the tough macroeconomic conditions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations need to take a hard look at cutting expenses. Cybersecurity organizations will need to quickly adapt to this new operating environment by implementing enhanced controls and endpoint protection technologies to exert greater control over end-user devices.
Ref - SC Magazine
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(July 30, 2020)
China-based hackers targeted COVID-19 vaccine firm
Chinese government-linked hackers targeted biotech company Moderna Inc., a leading U.S.-based coronavirus vaccine research developer, earlier this year in a bid to steal valuable data, according to a U.S. security official tracking Chinese hacking activity. Moderna, which is based in Massachusetts and announced its COVID-19 vaccine candidate in January 2020.
Ref - Reuters
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(July 30, 2020)
Impact of the coronavirus pandemic on cybersecurity
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for hackers and online scammers, and cybersecurity professionals saw a 63 percent increase in cyber-attacks related to the epidemic. As the global impact of COVID-19 manifested itself in the middle of March, ESG and ISSA conducted an in-depth survey in April 2020 as a point in time assessment of challenges posed by the pandemic.
Ref - Yahoo
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(July 30, 2020)
COVID-19's impact on Dark Web travel agencies
Digital Shadows has published an updated blog that examines the state of the Dark Web travel industry. Researchers found that airline-specific customer accounts were available on cybercriminal marketplaces, whose price depends on associated frequent flyer points or air miles. Cut-price gift cards for airlines–either stolen or purchased with airline points or stolen credit cards, were also available, often at massive discounts of 30 to 50% off retail value.
Ref - Security Magazine
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(July 29, 2020)
The regular influx of COVID-19 lures and cyber activities
With half a year passed from the outbreak of COVID-19, cyberattacks exploiting the pandemic are showing no sign of slowing down in Q2 2020, according to the new ESET Threat Report Q2 2020. ESET specialists observed a continued influx of COVID-19 lures in web and email attacks, with fraudsters still trying to make the most out of the crisis.
Ref - SecurityMagazine
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(July 29, 2020)
Cybercrime increased amid coronavirus pandemic
According to a new study from cloud computing company Iomart, large-scale breaches are growing in intensity and frequency in 2020, with the number of breaches increasing 273% in the first quarter, compared to the same time last year (2019).
Ref - CNBC
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(July 29, 2020)
IT leaders were not prepared for COVID-19-themed cyber attacks
A report published by security firm Tanium describes how IT leaders were surprised by the security threats and challenges they've had to face in the wake of COVID-19. The top three challenges faced by the organizations included the identification of new computing devices, overuse of IT capacity due to VPN requirements, and increased risks from video conferencing applications.
Ref - TechRepublic
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(July 29, 2020)
Businesses are now learning hard lesson with their cloud providers
With the advent of the novel coronavirus, companies are now learning hard lessons about the reliability and responsibility of their cloud providers. During audits, regulators in financial services and healthcare have made explicit security/privacy protections without material liability results in illusory protection. They are not consistent with exercising reasonable care in the protection of sensitive data.
Ref - CPO Magazine
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(July 29, 2020)
Impact of COVID-19 on US government cybersecurity market
The government cybersecurity market in the US is expected to grow by USD 11.50 billion during 2020-2024, according to a report “Government Cyber Security Market.” The report also provides the market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It expected that the effect to be significant in the first quarter but gradually lessen in subsequent quarters, with a limited impact on the full-year economic growth.
Ref - Yahoo
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(July 28, 2020)
Americans working from home are more vulnerable to COVID-19 themed cyberattacks
The cybercrime risks faced by Americans working from home are just the tip of a very dangerous cyberattack iceberg. Strong evidence indicates that Russia, China, and potentially other adversaries have been attempting to hack universities and research institution’s databases to steal potentially lifesaving COVID-19-related intellectual property. Pharmaceutical companies also have seen a barrage of hacking attempts.
Ref - Forbes
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(July 28, 2020)
Cloud and security challenges while working from home
As organizations quickly moved to a fully remote, work-from-home scenario in response to the pandemic, several companies had to struggle to make sure that employees can access the data and applications they need from wherever they are working. When something is done quickly, but not deliberately (like migrating to the cloud and SaaS model), mistakes can be expected. And it can not be said for sure if the step was a good thing or a bad thing.
Ref - SecurityBoulevard
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(July 28, 2020)
Increased fraud and cyber risks for e-commerce merchants
As consumers increasingly turn to online shopping for essential and non-essential goods due to coronavirus, while at home, fraudsters have adapted their technique to use more sophisticated tactics against consumers, banks, and merchants. A recent study from Forter shows fraud attacks increased by 19 percent, globally ranging from return abuse and shipping fraud to account takeovers, identity manipulation, and other emerging threats.
Ref - Security Magazine
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(July 27, 2020)
Business ID theft rises amid COVID-19 closures
Identity thieves who specialize in running up unauthorized lines of credit in the names of small businesses are having a field day with all of the closures and economic uncertainty wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, KrebsOnSecurity has learned. An aggressive business ID theft ring that’s spent years targeting small businesses across the country is now pivoting toward using that access for pandemic assistance loans and unemployment benefits.
Ref - KrebsOnSecurity
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(July 27, 2020)
Russian hackers who attacked U.S. presidential election are targeting coronavirus vaccine research
A Russian cyberespionage group that hacked into election networks before the 2016 U.S. presidential election is now attempting to steal coronavirus vaccine information from researchers in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. The governments of those three countries issued a warning on July 16 saying that the group known as APT29 or “Cozy Bear” is targeting vaccine development efforts. The group is well known for its cyber-espionage campaigns.
Ref - Firstpost
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(July 26, 2020)
Over 200,000 coronavirus-related cyber-attacks are being launched per week
Coronavirus related cyber-attacks sharply increased from under 5,000 per week in February 2020 to over 200,000 per week in late April. The report, "Cyber Attack Trends: 2020 Mid-Year Report" addressed how criminal, political and non-state threat actors have exploited the COVID-19 pandemic to target organizations across all sectors, including government, industry, critical infrastructure, and healthcare.
Ref - Jpost
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(July 26, 2020)
More people are going to work from home in post coronavirus world
Security models that better address cloud apps, mobility, and BYOD will clearly need to evolve to address related data protection, because new research underlines the fact that more people will likely prefer to work from home, even when the pandemic passes. While the world continues to grapple with COVID-19, one security-related trend has emerged with nearly 100% certainty, higher numbers of remote workers are very likely here to stay.
Ref - SecurityBoulevard
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(July 24, 2020)
Internet users are being targeted by COVID-19 fraud
Around 32% of consumers say they have been targeted by digital fraud related to COVID-19, with phishing emerging as the world’s top digital fraud scheme related to the pandemic, according to TransUnion, the US consumer credit reporting agency. TransUnion aggregates information on over 1 billion individual consumers in more than 30 countries around the world. Its customers include over 65,000 businesses.
Ref - SecurityBoulevard
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(July 24, 2020)
The banking industry is the first choice for cybercriminals amid coronavirus
The banking industry has emerged as the choice target for cybercriminals during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the number of cyberattack incidents on financial institutions seeing a marked spike during the lockdown months, the Reserve Bank of India said in its Financial Stability Report. The central bank added that it has issued at least ten advisories and alerts in coordination with Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) on various cyber threats and best practices to be adopted.
Ref - India Times
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(July 23, 2020)
A sharp spike in pandemic inspired ransomware attacks
According to SonicWall’s 2020 Cyber Threat Report, ransomware attacks are up, particularly in the U.S., where they have more than doubled year-over-year (up 109 percent). Meanwhile, malware targeting IoT devices has risen to 20.2 million, up 50 percent from this time last year, as cybercriminals target the massive influx of employees working from home. At the same time, encrypted malware and crypto mining have seen resurgences.
Ref - ThreatPost
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(July 23, 2020)
State-backed cyber attacks increased amid COVID-19
Cyber attacks from Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actors backed by nation-states that are focused on gathering intel on COVID-19 research are on the rise, according to the Global Threat Intelligence Center (GTIC) Monthly Threat Report by technology company NTT Ltd. Attacks from Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actors continued to be on the rise, despite COVID-19; in fact, the virus has added fuel to the fire and has provided a cover for their operations.
Ref - TheHinduBusinessOnline
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(July 23, 2020)
Data privacy concern of COVID-19 contact tracing apps
Developers, governments, and regulators must work with the cybersecurity industry to apply rigorous standards to contact-tracing apps to make sure it doesn’t extend into personal privacy. As opt-in contact-tracing applications across the US are being built for state-specific usage, attention inevitably turns to the privacy risks they present, and how authorities must balance public health with cybersecurity to build systems that are fully fit for purpose.
Ref - DarkReading
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(July 22, 2020)
Venture-capital investment cybersecurity impacted with COVID-19
The pandemic has infected funding for cybersecurity startups, it also has emboldened some startups with innovative tools that secure the wave of at-home work. Not even the traditionally flush cybersecurity venture-capital sector has escaped the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic: New data shows early-stage investment dropped by more than 37% in the first half of 2020. But there are still signs of growth in cybersecurity investment.
Ref - DarkReading
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(July 22, 2020)
The decline in early cyber investments remains alongside coronavirus concerns
Fewer face-to-face meetings between security startups and potential investors contributed to a steep decline. Investments in early-stage cybersecurity companies fell by 37.7% during the second fiscal quarter of 2020, compared to the same time period in 2019. It’s a downward trend that began at the end of last year and continued into the first months of 2020 as global economies reacted to the coronavirus pandemic.
Ref - CyberScoop
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(July 22, 2020)
Cybersecurity lessons from the coronavirus pandemic
There are cyber threats out there that people know to exist amid pandemic like COVID-19. People prepare for those and implement security controls to protect business and society from these known inevitable threats. Then there are unknowns. These unknowns are typical of three types: The unknown knowns (tacit knowledge). The known unknowns (the ignorance people are aware of). And the last unknown unknowns (meta-ignorance).
Ref - Dark Reading
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(July 22, 2020)
COVID-19 crisis prompting cyberattacks across networks, cloud and mobile
Check Point released its ‘Cyber Attack Trends: 2020 Mid-Year Report’, which shows how cybercriminal, political and nation-state threat actors have exploited the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 related phishing and malware attacks increased dramatically from under 5,000 thousand per week in February, to over 200,000 per week in late April. Also, in May and June, as countries started to ease lockdowns, threat actors also stepped up their non-COVID-19 related exploits, resulting in a 34% increase in all types of cyber-attacks.
Ref - CheckPoint
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(July 21, 2020)
US charges Chinese COVID-19 research 'cyber-spies'
The US justice department has accused China of sponsoring hackers who are targeting labs developing COVID-19 vaccines. Officials have charged two Chinese men who allegedly spied on US companies doing coronavirus research and got help from state agents for other thefts. The accusations against former electrical engineering students Li Xiaoyu and Dong Jiazhi, include charges of trade secret theft and wire fraud conspiracy.
Ref - BBC
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(July 21, 2020)
Ransomware attacks increases as crooks target remote working
Ransomware attacks have surged drastically during the first half of this year, as cybercriminals look to spread their file-encrypting malware while many people are working from home. Analysis of malicious activity throughout the year published in Skybox Security's 2020 Vulnerability and Threat Trends Report says ransomware has thrived in the first half of the year, with a 72% increase in new samples of the file-encrypting malware.
Ref - ZDNet
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(July 21, 2020)
COVID-19 offered unique opportunities for fraudsters
The COVID-19 crisis has created a ripe environment for fraudsters to operate, a recent online panel discussion held by security firm Kaspersky has outlined. This is primarily due to the increased reliance of individuals on digital services as a result of lockdown restrictions. In the session, it was revealed that online shopping fraud has risen by 55% compared to 2019 due to the substantial rise in eCommerce and home deliveries during the pandemic.
Ref - Infosecurity Magazine
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(July 21, 2020)
COVID-19 exposing security gaps and fueling cyber attacks
The majority of businesses worldwide have seen a jump in cyber attacks as a result of employees working from home, with most reporting an increase in COVID-19 related malware. In Singapore, the global pandemic also revealed gaps in organizations’ disaster recovery plans and IT operations. Around 91% of enterprises reported an increase in cyber attacks with more employees working from home amidst the coronavirus outbreak.
Ref - ZDNet
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(July 21, 2020)
Major concerns and risks for strengthening security posture
Balbix Inc. released its 2020 Cybersecurity 360 Report. The report assesses the state of the enterprise cybersecurity posture in the wake of COVID-19 when the majority of organizations have rapidly adjusted to remote work policies and escalating threats. The findings identify the perennial challenges and primary risk drivers that security professionals are currently facing. The report found that 89 percent of security professionals are most concerned about phishing, web, and ransomware-type attacks.
Ref - Security Magazine
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(July 20, 2020)
The rise in DDoS attacks lost in pandemic
DDoS attacks amid COVID-19 pandemic, ticked up during the first part of 2020, were most handily absorbed by the internet backbone and the defensive efforts of targeted companies. DDoS attacks are usually high in Q1 and in Q2 the number drops. Therefore, this year it is unusual that Q1 and Q2 are almost equal. In addition, compared to the same period of Q2 2020, DDoS attacks grew more than threefold, so that can be considered as a dramatic change.
Ref - SCMagazine
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(July 20, 2020)
The role of managed services in a post-COVID-19 world
The critical role of managed services should be examined in a post-COVID-19 world. For small and medium-sized businesses, that means taking advantage of managed security services that converge technology and expertise in ways that meet their unique needs. It’s what will allow them to run fast and lean without risking gaps in network resilience and security in a world that’s even more digitally dependent and socially distanced than ever before.
Ref - InfoSecurity Magazine
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(July 20, 2020)
Cybersecurity spending will grow due to the impact of the coronavirus
Spending on security products and services for 2020 could increase as much as 5.6%, or as little as 2.5%, depending on the economic impact of the coronavirus on IT budgets. In a best-case scenario, global cybersecurity spending will grow by 5.6% in 2020, reaching $43.1 billion. In this instance, security investments will continue to outpace the economy with increases in spending on endpoint security, network security, web, and email security.
Ref - Tech Republic
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(July 20, 2020)
Security practice in the post-coronavirus office
Many employees and businesses have shifted their workforce, and unfortunately, this also includes workforce reductions. So, IT departments should conduct a comprehensive employee audit, ensuring those who are still with the company have access to the files and programs they need, while also disabling access for employees who are no longer with the company. This also extends to employees who have transitioned to other teams within the organization.
Ref - Dark Reading
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(July 20, 2020)
Russian and Chinese intelligence services looking for coronavirus vaccine data may not be a violation of cyber rules
Lawmakers are pushing for stiff consequences against Russia and China for hacking Western research into coronavirus vaccines. But stealing vaccine research during a global pandemic, seen as a digital extension of classic espionage, doesn’t directly violate rules of the road for which U.S. officials have spent years advocating in cyberspace. Some cybersecurity experts worry the push could undermine the effort to instill those global norms.
Ref - WashingtonPost
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(July 20, 2020)
Cyber attackers are more active on Dark Net amid coronavirus
The use of darknet has increased following the lockdown. Cyber experts have noted that at least 50 lakh CVV and credit card dumps are available on the Dark Net. The details have been revealed in the Indian Financial Hack-2020, presented by Cyber Safe Bangalore, a firm that offers security assessment, cybercrime, and darknet investigation solutions. More than 50 lakh CVV and credit cards have been dumped on the darknet.
Ref - TimesofIndia
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(July 20, 2020)
Cloud services are helping to adapt and respond to COVID-19 challenges
Around 38 percent of businesses have scaled infrastructure to meet new levels of demand in a secure manner during the lockdown period (March-June). The findings also demonstrate that organizations that adopted cloud technologies prior to the pandemic have been best positioned to deal with the unprecedented threats as well as the crisis. Even non-cloud enabled organizations also seem to be considering adopting appropriate cloud technologies post-COVID-19, in order to drive business resilience.
Ref - HelpNetSecurity
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(July 20, 2020)
A surge in remote work is the top concern for NetOps and SecOps
VIAVI Solutions Inc. released the results of its 13th annual State of the Network global study of enterprise networking and security challenges. The study shows that IT teams critically require better visibility into the network driven by a number of factors. This including tremendous disruption from the COVID-19 pandemic, relentless technological advances, remote working reaching an all-time high, and the expanding security threatscape.
Ref - Security Magazine
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(July 19, 2020)
Basic cybersecurity basics practices are more important in the new normal
In this new work-from-anywhere environment due to COVID-19 pandemic, cybersecurity, trust, and protecting customer data is more important than ever. In this situation, the best practices include enabling strong multi-factor authentication or patching all of the devices to it to inoculate them against known vulnerabilities, to prevent things like ransomware attacks. And then finally, treating cybersecurity like a team sport.
Ref - ZDNet
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(July 18, 2020)
COVID-19 used as bait for credit card skimming frauds
The government's cybersecurity agency has warned people of credit card skimming spreading across the world through e-commerce platforms. Attackers are typically targeting e-commerce sites because of their wide presence, popularity, and the environment LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP). Attackers targeted sites that were hosted on Microsoft's IIS server running with the ASP.NET web application framework.
Ref - News18
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(July 18, 2020)
Millions of users are targeted by a ‘catastrophic’ scam
Australians have been told to keep their eyes peeled for signs they have been targeted by a huge email scam. An Office 365 scam has targeted millions of users across 62 countries in a bid to attack businesses. When the group first began carrying out this scheme, the phishing emails contained deceptive messages associated with generic business activities. Other scam emails prey on victims’ desperation, using terms like “COVID-19 bonus”.
Ref - Yahoo
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(July 17, 2020)
A vulnerability in Zoom could be used by hackers
A vulnerability has been noticed in the Zoom video conferencing application (in high demand due to COVID-19 pandemic led lockdown) for Windows 7 and earlier versions that could allow an attacker to remotely execute arbitrary code on the targeted system, a national cybersecurity agency. The severity rating of this vulnerability is “high” and advised users to update the app and its security by visiting the Zoom support service website.
Ref - DeccanChronicle
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(July 17, 2020)
Hackers looking for COVID-19 research across the world
Britain's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said that hackers backed by the Russian state had tried to steal COVID-19 vaccine and treatment research from academic and pharmaceutical institutions around the world. Russia has rejected London's allegations. Russia would want to steal any intelligence as an investment into a coronavirus vaccine is huge. COVID investments are major investments for Governments right now because of the urgency of this crisis.
Ref - Express
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(July 17, 2020)
Australian researchers working on coronavirus are warned of cyber attacks
Data security experts are warning Australian researchers working on coronavirus vaccines and treatments to remain vigilant as global hackers try to access their work. Australia's world-leading research made it a target for state and non-state actors, and hackers aren't just looking for vaccine and treatment blueprints, but also for information about supply chain logistics, including plans for vaccine production and information on strategies for procuring supply.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(July 17, 2020)
Cyberattack campaigns exploiting COVID-19 with global impact
COVID-19 pandemic is changing the business landscape. The most immediate being the sudden increase in the number of people working from home. During this new time, cybercriminals are taking advantage, particularly of people who are not used to working remotely, with email and text scams. By exploiting current tragedies and well-publicized global issues, scammers are tricking remote employees who are anxious about the events taking place.
Ref - Security Magazine
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(July 16, 2020)
COVID-19 pandemic increased cyber and financial risks
Exabeam, the Smarter SIEM company, released new research that identified the initial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on security teams. The report suggests increases in both cyber and financial risks since the onset of the health crisis in the first half of 2020. During this time, 80 percent of companies saw ‘slightly to considerably more’ cyberattack attempts, breaking down to 88 percent in the U.S. and 74 percent in the U.K.
Ref - SecurityBoulevard
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(July 16, 2020)
Russian hackers are using custom malware to target COVID-19 vaccine research
Hackers likely working for Russian intelligence services have been attacking organizations involved in the research and development of a vaccine against the new coronavirus. The activity is attributed to the APT29 threat group. Targets are in the government, healthcare, diplomatic, think-tank, and energy sectors. The adversary has been running these attacks throughout 2020 against entities in Canada, UK, and the US.
Ref - Bleeping Computer
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(July 16, 2020)
Robots used in the COVID-19 hospital could be hacked
Tech experts in Spain have warned that the robots that are being used to disinfect hospitals during the COVID-19 crisis are vulnerable to cyber-attacks, and may have disastrous effects on the associated people. The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a rise in the use of robots that use ultraviolet light to zap germs in hospitals and clinics. The majority are not secure and theoretically can be taken over remotely and then made to shower their harmful rays on exposed patients or staff.
Ref - Telegraph
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(July 16, 2020)
Coronavirus put the spotlight on cybersecurity
The COVID-19 pandemic has put the spotlight on cybersecurity professionals, many of whom are now calibrating their approaches to mitigate the security risks of a growing remote workforce. The pandemic has accelerated plans by companies to support remote work, with some wondering if they are implementing the right measures. Now, more advanced firms are looking at security paradigms like zero trusts.
Ref - Computer Weekly
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(July 16, 2020)
Multi-factor authentication is a bigger concern than COVID-19 malware
An inability to implement multi-factor authentication has been the biggest threat to the security of Australian companies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Inadequate identity management has perpetuated gaps in cybersecurity protections for companies with increasing numbers of remote workers. Fully 46 percent of companies with 251 to 500 employees said the inability to adopt MFA had proven to be their biggest challenge during the pandemic.
Ref - CSO Online
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(July 15, 2020)
Children are facing greater online risks with COVID-19
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received more than 4 million reports of children-related cyber threats in April, an increase of nearly 3 million from April 2019. The FBI issued a warning to parents in March, and the Los Angeles Times reported that law enforcement officials in L.A. were overwhelmed in recent months by a surge in tips about online child sex abuse, with social media platforms and other service providers flagging explicit content.
Ref - TheHill
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(July 15, 2020)
A 260% rise in reported in cyber attacks in India since the lockdown began
Cyber threats to individuals have increased drastically as a result of the coronavirus. There is a great deal of anxiety over the coronavirus, which makes people exercise less than usual prudence when clicking on a link or opening an attachment in their haste to get the latest news. This is exploited by cybercriminals who create links that lead to malware or apps that offer something related to COVID-19, such as face masks or tests.
Ref - TheHinduBusinessLine
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(July 15, 2020)
COVID-19 is an opportunity for cybercriminals
The levels of cybercrime had multiplied recently, to a 6,000 percent increase in COVID-related spam at the height of the pandemic. The more striking trend is the explosion of attacks on businesses and individuals. And although minorities in the US, who may be less informed about the risks and more nervous about approaching the authorities, seem particularly vulnerable, the onslaught is being felt by almost everyone, almost everywhere.
Ref - Financial Times
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(July 15, 2020)
COVID-19 has created a “perfect storm” for cybercriminals
A recent report by Kaspersky suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has created a “perfect storm” for scammers and hackers, with smaller businesses facing a significant threat. The increased cyber threat created by the pandemic has been widely reported, with Action Fraud warning the public to “remain vigilant” as £16.6m has been lost to online shopping fraud since lockdown was announced in June.
Ref - Verdict
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(July 14, 2020)
Protecting small business cybersecurity amid COVID-19
During the pandemic, small business owners are pivoting while trying to retain good employees. Cybersecurity threats are an additional unneeded stressor for already strained companies. Thankfully, by following guidelines for remote workers and managing risks, firms can reduce the chances of a cybersecurity event and focus on making it through the crisis. Also, companies must strike a balance during this work-from-home period.
Ref - CyberDefenseMagazine
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(July 14, 2020)
An increase in cyber attacks on Indian firms amid COVID-19 crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic having forced people indoors, everything from education to healthcare, and socializing has moved to digital platforms. In some cases, this has left users’ data and secured them. Unauthorized persons are entering the chat-room and hurling abuses at the group in online classes ongoing in educational institutes. Such incidents are one of the many instances of cyber hacks in the recent past.
Ref - Business Standard
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(July 14, 2020)
VMware released a cybersecurity threat survey report
VMware, Inc. released the results of its first U.S.-focused cybersecurity threat report, entitled: “Extended Enterprise Under Threat.” According to the supplemental survey of more than 1,000 respondents from the U.S., UK, Singapore, and Italy, 88% of U.S. cybersecurity professionals said attack volumes have increased as more employees work from home. 89% said their organizations have experienced cyberattacks linked to COVID-19 malware.
Ref - CarbonBlack
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(July 14, 2020)
COVID-19 crisis could boost passwordless authentication
Passwords have always been a weak link in security, but people are so used to them that getting them to change to a more secure form of authentication has been a difficult task. But COVID-19 can be the catalyst that ends up ushering in passwordless access. The push is slowly happening. Gartner predicts that 60% of enterprises and 90% of midsize businesses will move to passwordless authentication by 2022.
Ref - SecurityBoulevard
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(July 14, 2020)
Google detected 18M COVID-19-related malware in a day
As COVID-19 cases increase across Victoria and NSW, the global pandemic has seen a significant spike in phishing attacks and scams. The COVID-19 has seen an increase in ‘bad actors’ looking to capitalize on people’s anxiety. The tech giant Google revealed that there’s been a significant increase in phishing attacks and scams, as it detected 18m malware and phishing messages through Gmail a day.
Ref - The Guardian
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(July 13, 2020)
Cybercriminals using coronavirus and financial content to launch phishing schemes
Cyber-attacks targeting both consumers and businesses surged worldwide, and the trend shows no sign of stopping any time soon. In recent months, coronavirus-related attacks spiked, and email has remained the prime vector of choice for enabling them. In the past two months, Bitdefender’s telemetry has shown a steady surge of coronavirus-related emails, with 42.9% of the correspondence flagged as suspicious, fraudulent, or malicious.
Ref - SecurityBoulevard
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(July 13, 2020)
Hacking attacks increased on hospitals for patient data
More than 80% of medical practices have been the victims of cyberattacks, according to a national survey. Over half reported patient safety concerns from the hacks and 20% said that their business had been interrupted for more than five hours. And the situation has only gotten worse during the months-long coronavirus pandemic, as more employees switched to working from home, and medical facilities were cash-strapped and stretched thin because of COVID-19.
Ref - USAToday
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(July 11, 2020)
Cyber investment increased up to 940% during a pandemic
Cyber startups raised a record half-billion in the first six months of 2020. It appears that the Coronavirus pandemic is responsible for triggering a 940 percent increase in cyber funding compared to the same period of 2019. However, the investment is mostly going to growth-stage companies while early-stage startups struggle. Growth stage companies in 2020 account for 94 percent (£465 million) of the £496 million already raised by cyber startups this year.
Ref - SCMagazineUK
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(July 10, 2020)
Employees using hardware from home threatens the security
As COVID-19 quarantine restrictions ease, many companies are implementing plans for when their employees return to the workplace. Many of these employees have connected uncontrolled peripheral devices to their corporate laptops. These peripherals are potentially cyberattack tools used by bad actors to gain access to secured organizations and, in most cases, cannot be seen by the installed endpoint security tools.
Ref - DarkReading
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(July 10, 2020)
Software-defined perimeters could provide a solution to remote work security issues
A new report has found that interest in software-defined perimeters (SDPs) as an alternative to VPNs has exploded since COVID-19 forced more than half of the US workforce to go remote. The report is based on a survey of IT professionals. It found that VPNs, which have long been the standard way to securely connect remote workers to corporate computing assets, are starting to cause trouble for new remote workers and organizations alike.
Ref - TechRepublic
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(July 10, 2020)
Mobile app fraud increased after COVID-19 pandemic
RSA data reveals a continued shift away from browser-based fraud as attackers target mobile apps. One of the most significant developments in online fraud for consumer-facing organizations last quarter was a sharp increase in fraudulent transactions originating from mobile applications instead of mobile browsers. Recently, with COVID-19 forcing people to do more things online, mobile transactions have become more prominent.
Ref - DarkReading
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(July 10, 2020)
Google banning ads from 'stalkerware' services
Google is barring ads from "stalkerware" services that allow people to spy and track others through their phones without their consent. Spyware use and stalking software have seen an increase during the COVID-19 lockdown. Now, Ads will no longer be allowed from companies promoting GPS trackers designed to spy on people or surveillance equipment marketed with the express purpose of spying. Google's ad policy changes will go into effect in August.
Ref - BusinessInsider
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(July 9, 2020)
Pubs and restaurants are facing cyber attack amid lockdown
Only one of the UK’s 50 most popular pub and restaurant chains has bothered to implement the strictest level of DMARC email protection to stop cybercriminals spoofing their identity in phishing attacks, and 70% have no published DMARC record at all, leaving their customers wide open to impersonation attacks. With pubs and restaurants now reopening, consumers face a potential explosion in cybercriminal activity.
Ref - ComputerWeekly
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(July 9, 2020)
Cybersecurity dynamics are about to change
According to a report by the Australian Cybersecurity Growth Network (via Forbes), the global cybersecurity market is set to increase to $270 billion by 2026. This signals the priority boardrooms have placed on cyber risk management even as digital transformation takes place en masse. The COVID-19 pandemic has become the catalyst to trigger a change in the ways technology is managed and operated.
Ref - Forbes
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(July 9, 2020)
Banks' cyber risks increased as COVID-19 spurs digital trends
Banks face a growing risk of cyber-attacks as the coronavirus crisis accelerates the shift to digital banking and remote working, Moody's Investors Service said in a report. Social distancing has created a surge in demand for contactless payments, digital cash transfers, and online banking, as well as remote working by bank employees. Banks' digital customers are a natural target for fraudsters via phishing emails or social engineering scams.
Ref - Economic Times
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(July 8, 2020)
COVID-19 lead to a boom in data-based scams
The pandemic highlighted a boom in data-based scams including phishing, and business email attacks or the creation of fake corporate websites to fool purchasers. Moreover, cyberattacks on critical infrastructure involved in addressing the pandemic are also likely to continue in the form of online scams aimed at health procurement authorities. At the same time, preventing, detecting, and responding will need additional skills.
Ref - UN News
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(July 8, 2020)
Security funding rises despite COVID-19 descent
Almost £500m has been invested in British cybersecurity startups in 2020 in spite of the economic slump caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, with the investment well on track to breaking the funding record of £521m set just last year. The figures make for a bleak contrast when compared to the wider startup economy in the UK, which has seen investment levels plummet by half compared to the year 2019.
Ref - Computer Weekly
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(July 8, 2020)
Cyber-crime amid COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a VUCA world, where every individual and organization has been adversely impacted in one way or another. So, there are several nefarious scams that people should expect in the coming weeks and months: the increase in phishing attacks, fake documents scams, insider frauds, sextortion related crimes, fake medicines/Anti-Corona drugs and Increase ransomware attacks.
Ref - CNBCTV18
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(July 7, 2020)
The “Keeper” Magecart group is active again
The “Keeper” Magecart group, which consists of an interconnected network of 64 attacker domains and 73 exfiltration domains, has targeted over 570 victim e-commerce sites in 55 different countries from April 1, 2017, until the present. With revenue likely exceeding $7 million and increased cybercriminal interest in CNP data during the COVID-19 quarantine measures across the world, this group’s market niche appears to be secure and profitable.
Ref - Gemini Advisory
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(July 7, 2020)
Brazil’s government assistance program capitalized in COVID-19 cybercrime
Cybercriminals are capitalizing on COVID-19 in Brazil by delivering malicious email, SMS text, and WhatsApp messages and creating hundreds of malicious sites since March 2020. In particular, it is discovered that over 693 new COVID-19-related Brazilian cybercriminal malicious websites have been created this year, many capitalizing on the country’s government assistance program related to the pandemic.
Ref - SecurityIntelligence
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(July 7, 2020)
Microsoft busts hackers who used COVID-19 as bait
A US court has allowed Microsoft to seize control of key domains of cybercriminals who used COVID-19-related lures in the phishing emails to target its customers in 62 countries and access Office 365 account contents, including email, contacts, notes, and material. Microsoft's Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) first observed these criminals, when they deployed a sophisticated, new phishing scheme designed to compromise customer accounts.
Ref - RPCMag
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(July 7, 2020)
Early COVID-19 tracking apps easy target for hackers
The push to use smartphone apps to track the spread of coronavirus is creating a potential jackpot for hackers worldwide and the U.S. offers a fat, loosely defended target. Tracking applications in Qatar, Indian and UK have already been found vulnerable to various data exploitation issues. And the U.S. has its own unique vulnerabilities: a fragmented collection of apps, tiny state cybersecurity budgets etc..
Ref - Politico
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(July 6, 2020)
Next step for cybersecurity during a pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has, almost overnight, forced everyone to adapt to a whole new working environment. After nearly two months in quarantine, both organizations and employees have come to terms with working remotely or working from home. Most organizations have robust cybersecurity policies but cyberattacks can still occur despite these precautions. Also, being cyber-safe is a shared responsibility that begins with every individual.
Ref - IndianExpress
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(July 6, 2020)
Wide-Area Network cyber threats amid COVID-19 crisis
As the coronavirus crisis escalated, so did the reliance of many of these entities on their digital communication networks, and so did the cybersecurity threats posed to these organizations, their data, and their users. The COVID-19 CTI League, a volunteer group of CTI experts, has been formed specifically to neutralize cyber threats aimed at exploiting vulnerabilities related to the current pandemic
Ref - InfoSecurity Magazine
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(July 6, 2020)
A new trend in robocall scams amid Coronavirus
A recent survey conducted by Provision Living showed that a full 20% of survey participants received at least one COVID-19-related call or text. Worse, almost a quarter of the respondents (23%) said the pace of robocalling had increased since the start of the pandemic. Interestingly, while Provision's survey participants did include older folks, the average age of the 4,038 survey participants was 39, right at the upper age of the millennial generation.
Ref - ZDNet
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(July 6, 2020)
Acting against COVID-19 related cybercrime
To fight against Coronavirus themed cybercrime, organizations must confront at its source to systematically reduce its global impact. An effective response to cybercrime requires exploring many possible courses of action and taking the interests of both the public and private sectors into account. Further, an optimal plan of action should leverage the expertise of both the public and private sectors to stay protected.
Ref - WorldEconomicForum
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(July 6, 2020)
Threat Detection and Visibility in a remote working world
As a result of the rapid shift to remote work due to COVID-19, many IT organizations now have the technology to support remote employees. As the world moves forward into a new normal, one clear change that is here to stay is more flexible, remote-friendly working policies. As a result, security operations teams need a long-term strategy to maintain visibility and threat detection over a network that has new blind spots and hardly any remaining perimeter.
Ref - Indiatimes
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(July 5, 2020)
Threat actors are targeting Americans working from home
Federal officials and experts are warning that foreign cybercriminals are targeting U.S. businesses and Americans who are working from home on less-secure networks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of Americans have shifted to working at home indefinitely to help halt the spread of COVID-19, placing them outside of more secure office networks and away from company IT professionals. Foreign cybercriminals are taking notice of this situation.
Ref - The Hill
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(July 3, 2020)
The cyber threat landscape has changed with COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns have dramatically changed the cyber risk landscape, with cybercriminals across the globe quickly taking advantage of new vulnerabilities. Fortinet research group has noted a significant spike in the number of new threats during the pandemic. Also, the pandemic has changed the threat landscape as well as the techniques being used by hackers to compromise networks.
Ref - ITWeb
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(July 3, 2020)
Lessons from COVID-19 cyberattacks
Cyber actors have shown that during the pandemic, they will let no opportunity go by without trying to take advantage. They prey upon the fear and concern around COVID-19 with phishing attacks and capitalize on security weaknesses. And it's had a significant impact on security professionals' roles, a recent survey from (ISC)² found that 81% of respondents said their job function had changed during the pandemic.
Ref - DarkReading
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(July 3, 2020)
Android and Apple phone silently downloading COVID-19 app on mobile phones
Users across the US and UK are left puzzled as a coronavirus tracking software has landed on their phones without their knowledge or any kind of prior notification. And the fact is that it has been noticed on phones which do not have any government recommended COVID-19 Tracking software loaded on to them. All of sudden, a function dubbed as ‘COVID 19 Exposure Logging’ is being observed in the settings section of both iPhone and Android devices.
Ref - Cybersecurity Insiders
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(July 3, 2020)
Cyber resilience is important for the stay-at-home world
While natural disasters and resilient physical infrastructures are top of mind for many, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, IT and political leaders should add cyber resilience to their larger infrastructure and IT resilience discussions and plans. If every organization took a close look at its IT playbook, ransomware would be far less destructive and costly and could ultimately deter cybercriminals from launching attacks in the first place.
Ref - Forbes
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(July 3, 2020)
The cyber threat landscape has changed with COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting lockdowns have dramatically changed the cyber risk landscape, with cybercriminals across the globe quickly taking advantage of new vulnerabilities. Fortinet research group has noted a significant spike in the number of new threats during the pandemic. Also, the pandemic has changed the threat landscape as well as the techniques being used by hackers to compromise networks.
Ref - ITWeb
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(July 3, 2020)
Lessons from COVID-19 cyberattacks
Cyber actors have shown that during the pandemic, they will let no opportunity go by without trying to take advantage. They prey upon the fear and concern around COVID-19 with phishing attacks and capitalize on security weaknesses. And it's had a significant impact on security professionals' roles, a recent survey from (ISC)² found that 81% of respondents said their job function had changed during the pandemic.
Ref - DarkReading
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(July 3, 2020)
Android and Apple phone silently downloading COVID-19 app on mobile phones
Users across the US and UK are left puzzled as a coronavirus tracking software has landed on their phones without their knowledge or any kind of prior notification. And the fact is that it has been noticed on phones which do not have any government recommended COVID-19 Tracking software loaded on to them. All of sudden, a function dubbed as ‘COVID 19 Exposure Logging’ is being observed in the settings section of both iPhone and Android devices.
Ref - Cybersecurity Insiders
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(July 2, 2020)
Daily remote desktop attacks increased during a pandemic
While attention on COVID-19 has primarily focused on the social and medical fallout, a recent study has made reference to a “cyber pandemic” taking hold in the new world of remote working. Figures from ESET have shown that in the wake of the virus, a major shift has been seen away from traditional office spaces in favor of remote desktop software as businesses look to respect social distancing and slow the spread of the virus.
Ref - TechRadar
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(July 2, 2020)
The new age of cybersecurity concern in a post-COVID-19 era
As COVID-19 continues to alter the way people live, organizations and individuals must protect their sensitive data in order to protect themselves. While some changes are likely to be temporary, others will have long-lasting effects. The pandemic has forced employees to work remotely, resulted in school closures impacting almost 70% of the world’s student population, and given rise to a number of new online scams.
Ref - Law
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(July 2, 2020)
Enhancing cybersecurity amid COVID-19 pandemic
Amid the spike in COVID-19 coronavirus cybersecurity threats tied to remote work, Middle East organizations should follow a three-step process strategy. Organizations should work with channel partners on vulnerability assessments and penetration testing. Work with knowledgeable vendors and channel partners to develop short-term, medium-term, and long-term cybersecurity strategies.
Ref - Albawaba
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(July 2, 2020)
Remote workers are under cyber-attack
The COVID-19 induced shift to remote working has provided a golden opportunity for cybercriminals to target one of a business’s biggest cyber vulnerabilities – the workforce. Businesses no longer have the luxury of traditional defensive and office-based security models, and with such a drastic transformation in how workers operate remotely, the cyber risks have increased significantly. In order to manage this risk, it is imperative to first understand it.
Ref - IT-Online
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(July 1, 2020)
Already struggling education sector is now more exposed after coronavirus crisis
School districts in the United States already had significant cybersecurity shortcomings. They often lack dedicated funding and skilled personnel to continuously vet and improve cybersecurity defenses. The pandemic amplified these risks, as school districts around the country transitioned to distance learning in the spring. Suddenly, millions of teachers and students have started using video chat software, lesson portals, digital message boards, and other online tools, which are exposed to risks of cyber threats.
Ref - Wired
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(July 1, 2020)
Microsoft warns public of COVID-19-related cyberattacks
American technology company Microsoft is warning businesses and individuals about the risk of cyberattacks that prey on people’s health concerns using pandemic-related content. The company found that among millions of global phishing emails, around 60,000 were related to COVID-19, with the senders pretending to come from official organizations such as the World Health Organization. The pandemic was being used to trick users into opening malicious emails.
Ref - TheJakartaPost
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(July 1, 2020)
Family enterprises and offices are facing cybersecurity risks during COVID-19
Some Family Enterprises (FEs) and Family Offices (FOs) are recognizing the danger, and taking steps to increase cybersecurity capabilities as they face yet another set of risks. In the FOs and smaller FEs, the person in charge of IT may not have control over the actions of principals and their family members. Usually, there is no dedicated chief information security officer with expertise about devices, access and usage, as there is in large enterprises. Often, there is a small staff that must try to manage IT controls with governance, frequent education and personal influence.
Ref - EY
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(July 1, 2020)
Security plan to protect enterprises
The unprecedented times of COVID-19 have brought the need to ‘Go Digital’. To stay protected, organizations should implement an ongoing cyber threat education and awareness program for their stakeholders. Implement multi-factor authentication and know the most critical data and systems and where they are located. Update regularly and monitor activity on most critical systems.
Ref - CRN
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(July 1, 2020)
DDoS attacks increased 542% from Q4 2019 to Q1 2020
The shift to remote work and heavy reliance on online services has driven an increase in attacks intended to overwhelm ISPs. In the first quarter of 2020, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks jumped more than 542% compared with the last quarter of 2019 and more than 278% year-over-year. NexusGuard researchers suggest the spike may be linked to a parallel increase in malicious cyber activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ref - Dark Reading
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(July 1, 2020)
Business Email Compromise attacks doubled from April to May
New data shows a sharp increase in monthly business email compromise (BEC) attacks focused on invoice or payment fraud. Fraudsters have been increasingly leveraging the COVID-19 pandemic to target unsuspecting victims, including remote workers, via email. Research data published by Abnormal Security shows a 200 percent increase in BEC attacks focused on invoice or payment fraud from April to May 2020.
Ref - Bit Defender
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(June 30, 2020)
Over 20,000 COVID-19-themed cyber attacks observed by FBI
Some 20,000 coronaviruses (COVID-19)-related cybersecurity threats have been reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) so far this year, an agency official said in early June. The IC3 is tracking a massive spike in hackers attempting to capitalize on the COVID-19 crisis. In April, online crimes reported to IC3 had roughly quadrupled since January to 4,000 incidents daily.
Ref - MSS Planet
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(June 30, 2020)
Ransomware attacks against healthcare sector on the rise
According to the International Criminal Police Organization, threat actors have ramped up their attempts to pollute the IT networks of hospitals with ransomware in spite of the COVID-19 crisis. The adverse outcome of such an incursion isn’t restricted to data damage. It can also hamper quick medical response and thus impact the physical well-being of the patients. Emails with booby-trapped links or attachments are the dominating vector of ransomware distribution.
Ref - Security Boulevard
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(June 30, 2020)
COVID-19-themed HMRC phishing scams identified
Fraudsters are continuing to exploit self-employed people with advancements in already-established COVID-19-related HMRC phishing scams. The scam begins with a text message purporting to be from HMRC informing the recipient they are due a tax refund. It states that the refunds can be applied online via an official-looking site that uses HMRC branding and is entitled “Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance and support.
Ref - InfoSecurity Magazine
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(June 30, 2020)
The need for a cyber approach amid COVID-19
The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) explain that cybersecurity has gained new weight in 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic reinforcing the need for cybersecurity to be robust, flexible, and agile. These requirements are especially crucial for fuel and petrochemical companies since they are among the industries deemed critical for economic and national security by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
Ref - HydroCarbonEngineering
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(June 30, 2020)
Coronavirus-themed phishing attacks increased
Since March, criminals were using the COVID-19 pandemic to send phishing messages, dangerous attachments, and links to malicious websites. These cyber-attacks have continued and intensified over the past several weeks because attackers know people remain frightened and crave COVID-19 information. This coronavirus pandemic makes all users more vulnerable to social engineering and cyber-attacks.
Ref - Technology
_______________________________________________________________________________________
(June 29, 2020)
Mitigating cyber threats related to work from home culture
Mitigating/reducing risks due to cyber threats in increasing work from home mode has indeed become essential and therefore corporates, mainly MSMEs, should pay due attention to these aspects. There are technical solutions like end-point security to block the copying of data in external USB drives, and there are legal agreements that can put liabilities of a data leak on employees in a work from home environment.
Ref - Financial Express
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(June 29, 2020)
How governments can address cybersecurity in the post-pandemic world
To address cybersecurity issues during the COVID-19 epidemic, governments need to work together to adjust national frameworks, increase international cooperation, and unify awareness campaigns. Countries must become more agile in updating or developing national cybersecurity strategies, as well as legal and regulatory framework regarding cyberspace. Also, it has become important to start teaching children about cybersecurity.
Ref - WeForum
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(June 29, 2020)
Steps to respond to COVID-19-themed cyber attacks
A quickly evolving pandemic provides a favorable environment for hackers to exploit an organization’s lowered defenses as their organization moves to a remote workforce. With a remote workforce (due to coronavirus), businesses should have a full understanding of their existing vulnerabilities and threats, as well as where new ones could arise, with an action plan in place to mitigate the losses in the event of a breach.
Ref - SecurityMagazine
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(June 29, 2020)
The eSafety office received AU$10 million to fight COVID-19 cyber attacks
The Office of the eSafety Commissioner has received an additional AU$10 million in funding to help administer protections in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety, and the Arts said Australians have embraced rapid digitization of workplaces, schools, and households during the COVID-19, which underpins the need for a continued focus on online safety.
Ref - ZDNet
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(June 29, 2020)
COVID-19 patients information accessed by hackers in India
A group of hackers from Kerala has gained access to the details of at least 80,000 COVID-19 patients in New Delhi by hacking the website of Delhi State Health Mission (dshm.gov.in). The website, which is currently inaccessible, has been suspended after the Kerala Cyber Warriors hacked the site to allegedly expose its lack of security. The group also raised caution against the lack of security in the site, which stores thousands of sensitive data of patients.
Ref - TheNewsMinute
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(June 29, 2020)
Adequate cybersecurity for Hospitals amid COVID-19
With so many connected devices and systems in the healthcare setting, efforts should be made to separate the different aspects of connected systems. IT departments should also segment different devices within the network. Critical medical equipment such as ventilators, lab equipment, or heart monitors that have any connection to the internet should be separated from workstations that are pulling up patient records or billing information.
Ref - InfoSecurity Magazine
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(June 28, 2020)
Ransomware attacks increased during coronavirus pandemic
Ransomware attacks continue to grow and the number of attacks has increased especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data encryption malware is an emergent threat evolving and changing its Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP) along the time. In general, data encryption malware so-called ransomware (like GoldenEye, Wannacry, etc.) prevents victims from accessing their systems and demands ransom payments in order to regain access to the data.
Ref - CyberDefenseMagazine
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(June 28, 2020)
A Ransomware masquerading as COVID-19 tracing application
CryCryptor, the new ransomware, has been targeting Android users in Canada and is being distributed via two websites under the pretext of an official COVID-19 tracing app provided by Health Canada. The researchers said that the ransomware surfaced just a few days after the Canadian government officially announced its backing of a nation-wide voluntary tracing app called COVID Alert. The app is set for testing in the province of Ontario beginning next month.
Ref - IsraelDefense
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(June 27, 2020)
The University of California's COVID-19 work affected by a ransomware attack
The University of California, San Francisco paid criminal hackers $1.14 million this month to resolve a ransomware attack. The hacker’s encrypted data on servers inside the school of medicine. While researchers at UCSF are among those leading coronavirus-related antibody testing, the attack didn’t impede its COVID-19 work. The university is working with a team of cybersecurity contractors to restore the hampered servers soon.
Ref - BnnBloomberg
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(June 27, 2020)
Protecting bank accounts from hackers amid coronavirus
CERT-In had earlier warned of possible cyber attacks in India. To stay protected some guidelines have been released. Users need to be aware that the banks never want to know the password, CVV, OTP, ATM PIN, card details, or any such information. Avoid clicking on links shared via social media networks, and click on the link found through trusted sources only. Avoid clicking on a suspicious link in an email or message from an unknown person or organization. If email is from an email ID never seen before, be careful while opening it.
Ref - HindustanTimes
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(June 26, 2020)
Cyber attacks originated from China increased after COVID-19 crisis
The heavy traffic of cyber attacks was witnessed after COVID-19, which originated in China, spread on a massive scale globally. In March 2020, Chinese hackers are said to have targeted over 75 organizations around the world in the manufacturing, media, healthcare, and non-profit sectors as part of a broad-ranging cyber espionage campaign. Hacking attempts originating from China are looking for information about anti-COVID19 battle and policies.
Ref - IndiaToday
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(June 26, 2020)
Cybercrime landscape evolving as lockdown eases
Threat researchers at Check Point say they have observed a dramatic decrease in malicious COVID-19 coronavirus domains in Europe and North America as national lockdown measures begin to ease, but the danger is by no means past. New data released by the company revealed that it caught 2,451 new COVID-19 domains in the first two weeks of June, 4% of them clearly malicious and 3% suspicious in some way.
Ref - ComputerWeekly
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(June 26, 2020)
Indian Govt. agency warned about cyber attacks
The way people turning online for undertaking financial transactions in the COVID era, a user cannot be immune to the threat of cyber attacks. The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (Cert-In), part of the ministry of electronics & information technology, had warned millions of Indians could face cyber threats posed by fake emails, social media posts, or text messages, asking for free COVID-19 testing across India.
Ref - ABPLive
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(June 26, 2020)
Evil Corp targeting US workers at home
A Russian hacking group is launching ransomware attacks against a number of US companies, targeting employees who are working from home due to COVID-19. Evil Corp hackers have tried to access at least 31 organizations’ networks in order to cripple systems and demand millions of dollars in ransom. The group's two alleged leaders were indicted by the US Justice Department in December 2019.
Ref - BBC
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(June 26, 2020)
Phishing attacks are targeting workers returning to the office
COVID-19 has attracted cybercriminals who have been capitalizing on the global pandemic by creating related phishing campaigns, malicious websites, and fake apps. Recent phishing attacks have taken a slight turn, beginning to target employees returning to the office as businesses start to reopen across the world. A recently observed phishing campaign shows that the attackers are deploying malicious email masquerading as COVID-19 training materials.
Ref - OodaLoop
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(June 26, 2020)
Cybersecurity amid pandemic’s impact
The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the way the world operates. In addition to placing unparalleled pressures on healthcare systems across the globe and introducing significant limitations to daily lives, it has also put the spotlight on operational resilience in financial services. One of the key challenges financial services firms faced was the need to rapidly facilitate a shift to a near 100% remote workforce, leaving organizations exposed to increased cybersecurity threats.
Ref - CBROnline
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(June 26, 2020)
Microsoft released a patch to a critical remote access vulnerability
Microsoft is once again urging organizations to apply a patch to a critical vulnerability found in some Exchange Servers. In particular, access to misconfigured servers allow hackers access to the highest privileges, giving them the ability to add new user accounts without the need to deploy remote access tools. As a result, a hacker then would gain access to high privilege groups, including administrators, remote desktop users, and enterprise admins.
Ref - HealthITSecurity
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(June 26, 2020)
Cyberattacks rise in COVID-19 pandemic
A rising number of cyberattacks aimed at the financial sector during the coronavirus pandemic has sent a warning to banks to improve their cybersecurity measures to protect themselves against future risks. Attacks against the financial sector increased 238% globally from the beginning of February to the end of April, according to data by Carbon Black Inc. Ransomware attacks grew ninefold in the period, with phishing emails the primary source.
Ref - SPGlobal
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(June 26, 2020)
Four ways to find out cybersecurity gaps in work from home
Millions of workers around the world have shifted from offices to working from home since the COVID-19 outbreak. So, it’s every employee’s responsibility to keep his or her company secure by keeping an eye out for phishing attacks. Examine the external threat landscape and review exposure to third-party suppliers. Also, companies that use third-party suppliers can evaluate their corresponding level of exposure by following basin security hygiene steps.
Ref - JDSupra
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(June 26, 2020)
Security and innovation amid COVID-19 crisis
The rapid global shift to a remote workforce due to COVID-19 and increased reliance on digital infrastructure were met almost immediately by a staggering uptick in cybercrime. With security resources and budgets stretched thin to accommodate remote workforces, cybercriminals were quick to capitalize on the increased attack surface and general uncertainty, striking with a 667 percent increase in coronavirus-related cyberattacks.
Ref - Security Magazine
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(June 26, 2020)
New threats emerge from COVID-19 pandemic
Cybercrime cases have jumped by more than 50 percent as compared with last year, accounting for more than a quarter of all crimes committed in the country, said the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) in its annual report published on Jun 26. The COVID-19 pandemic has also created a new raft of vulnerabilities, with attackers exploiting the panic and fear to seek financial gain or gain access to classified information.
Ref - ChannelNewsAsia
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(June 26, 2020)
Impact of COVID-19 on cyber threats to the health sector
According to Canadian “Cyber Threat Bulletin,” national and international public health organizations will almost certainly continue to be targeted by cyber threats such as ransomware, information, credential theft, and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Cyber threat actors will almost certainly continue to target hospitals, medical clinics, and other front-line services involved in COVID-19 responses around the world.
Ref - Cyber
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(June 26, 2020)
Around 30% increase in cyber attacks amid COVID-19
COVID-19 crisis exponentially increases the surface area for the attackers to exploit people. Some studies show that there has been a 30% increase in cyber-attacks; some of the most common attacks include emails masquerading as government announcements or fake COVID-19 websites. People's mind was clouded with uncertainty about the epidemic situation, and attackers preyed on it.
Ref - GulfToday
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(June 26, 2020)
Impact of COVID-19 on U.S. financial services enterprises
According to U.S. Financial Services: U.S. Financial Services: Cybersecurity Systems & Services Market – 2016-2020” report, the economic and business implications of cyber attacks (after COVID-19), it has now become mandatory for the financial industry to significantly increase its investments. The investment required in state-of-the-art cyber security technologies solutions, and outsourced services to detect, prevent, analyze and resolve the epidemic of financial cyber crime.
Ref - JewishLifeNews
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(June 26, 2020)
Cybersecurity is one of the biggest risks in 2020
Cybersecurity risks in India have only been amped up and greatly increased by the COVID-19 pandemic. Cybercriminals, activists & state actors get more active as people WFH and resources get stretched. The Ministry of Home Affairs has also issued a notice advising greater caution against cyber-attacks, specifically coming from neighboring countries.
Ref - ReputationToday
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(June 26, 2020)
The increase of coronavirus-related cyber attacks
The worldwide novel coronavirus pandemic has led to millions of employees working from home and a surge in scams, malware, and phishing attacks, with a 600% increase in spear-phishing, according to Barracuda. It is now more essential than ever that IT staff remind employees to remain vigilant against attacks and protect their computer data in case data loss does occur, as the resolution is even more difficult in a distributed environment.
Ref - SecurityBouLevard
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(June 26, 2020)
Cybersecurity after coronavirus pandemic
The sharp and sizable increase in employees working from home caused by the pandemic has placed networks under greater pressure than ever before and has inevitably led to heightened cybersecurity risks. The National Cyber Security Centre has reported how malicious actors are increasingly exploiting vulnerabilities in VPNs and other remote working tools. Also, more UK government branded scams relating to COVID-19 have been detected than any other subject.
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(June 26, 2020)
Indians are most worried about identity theft Post-COVID-19
Identity theft and internet security rank high among the top security concerns for the average Indian, according to a study conducted by American software giant Unisys. Findings from the Unisys Security Index for 2020 revealed that 83 percent of all Indians surveyed feared identity theft and ranked it as their top security concern, while internet security came second on the list. Nearly 82 percent of respondents feared hacking.
Ref - CNBCTv18
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(June 25, 2020)
Cyber-attacks upon maritime industry increased four times
A recent report released by the British Ports Association and Astaara, a risk management firm based in the U.K., concludes that since February 2020, the maritime industry has seen a dramatic increase in cyber-attacks. The number of attacks has quadrupled, as companies struggle with COVID-19 and remote workforces. In addition to state-sponsored attacks on maritime facilities, cyber-criminals are targeting the maritime industry.
Ref - NatLawReview
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(June 25, 2020)
Increase in cyber attacks in India since lockdown
Security experts in the country believe that there has been a significant spike (about 500%) in the cybersecurity attacks and breaches in India since the lockdown commenced in March. Internet service providers have confirmed receiving cyberattack alerts from corporate clients almost every alternate day compared with an average of once a week before the lockdown was announced as part of measure to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Ref - TPCI
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(June 25, 2020)
Working from home and cybersecurity during COVID-19
After coronavirus, so many employees across the world are working from home. To enable that, employees had to adapt their ways of working. For many companies, there are a few challenges when working from home. Cybersecurity continues to play a significant and important role in daily lives, especially as attackers are trying to take advantage of home and public networks in a bid to infect devices, be it company-issued or personal.
Ref - SC
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(June 25, 2020)
Cybercriminals are looking for new angles to exploit coronavirus
The Coronavirus pandemic continues to have a huge impact globally, it also reflected in the cyber-crime economy. The latest data (from Checkpoint) shows that the risk of an organization being impacted by a malicious coronavirus-related website depends on whether the country it is located in has gone back to business or is still under lockdown. However, COVID-19 related cyber-attacks down 24% compared to May.
Ref - CheckPoint
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(June 25, 2020)
A popular method used by cybercriminals amid COVID-19
Cybercriminals constantly leverage fear and confusion by launching cyberattacks during major world events. Such attacks are mostly carried out with social engineering campaigns using malicious emails that attract victims to install malware that steals financial data and other valuable personal information. What distinguished this crisis from previous crises is its immediate and rapid effect on the cybercrime economy.
Ref - Real-Sec
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(June 25, 2020)
COVID-19 pandemic and the cybersecurity
The COVID-19 pandemic has created an immense humanitarian crisis that has severely affected almost all countries in the world. As a result, more and more people have begun to carry out their daily transactions, purchases, and even for education digitally and thus became very vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Because of the COVID-19 Cybersecurity has become a general concern for all citizens, professionals, politicians, and, more generally, all decision-makers.
Ref - ColomboTelegraph
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(June 25, 2020)
Office 365 users attacked by phishing attacks
Threat actors shift focus from COVID-19 to employee coronavirus training and current events like Black Lives Matter as cyber-attacks continue to rise. The recent phishing campaign leverages novel training programs that are required for employees in the workplace. The campaign, targeting Office 365 users, sends an email that includes a link to register to the training: “COVID-19 Training for Employees: A Certificate for Healthy Workplaces.”
Ref - ThreatPost
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(June 25, 2020)
Staying protected from COVID-19-related phishing attack
Refrain from providing sensitive information online, such as credit card information, personal identification (PAN, Aadhaar, or passport) details, contact information, etc. unnecessarily, even if the website seems legitimate. Phishing scams often lure victims by creating fake websites employing the names of well-known companies. Also, beware of unknown email ids, and do not click on unknown links.
Ref - DeccanHerald
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(June 25, 2020)
Cybersecurity attacks surged during COVID-19
The Department of Health and Human Services has reported an increase in cybersecurity breaches in hospitals and healthcare providers’ networks which may be due to COVID-19. Between the months of February and May of this year, there have been 132 reported breaches, according to the HHS. This is an almost 50% increase in reported breaches during the same time last year. The increase in hacking could be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ref - TLO
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(June 25, 2020)
Indian business need robust measures to deal with coronavirus-themed cyber attacks
Indian companies pursuing remote working policies need to deploy robust preventive measures to deal with a spike in the incidence of cyber-attacks following the COVID-19 outbreak said a PwC report. These cyber-attacks on Indian companies doubled between January and March 2020. February saw a sudden spike, mostly focused on exploiting vulnerable services and obtaining easy access to remote desktops.
Ref - FutureTech
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(June 25, 2020)
K12 schools are warned for ransomware attacks
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation sent out on Tuesday a security alert to K12 schools about the increase in ransomware attacks during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and especially about ransomware gangs that abuse RDP connections to break into school systems. Schools are likely to open up their infrastructure for remote staff connections, which in many cases would mean create RDP accounts on internal school systems.
Ref - ZDNet
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(June 25, 2020)
A COVID-19 themed ransomware attack on Android users spotted
A new COVID-themed ransomware attack on Android users in Canada, known as CryCryptor, has been revealed by ESET researchers. In the attack, people were lured into downloading a ransomware app disguised as an official COVID-19 tracing tool through two COVID-themed websites. This came shortly after the Canadian government announced its support for the creation of a nation-wide, voluntary tracing app to be called COVID Alert.
Ref - InfoSecurity Magazine
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(June 25, 2020)
The COVID-19 impact on cyber weapons industry
Global Cyber Weapons Market is expected to grow according to the “Global Cyber Weapons Market Report.” The report features the Industry growth analysis and forecasts for the growth and revenue up to 2025, allied with the Cyber Weapons Market. Industry size estimations have been provided in terms of value (USD million). Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing process and cost structure and drivers are also analyzed.
Ref - BulletinLine
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(June 25, 2020)
Poor cyber hygiene habit exploited by hackers
According to a cybersecurity consultant, the nation-wide concern (in India) over the pandemic has offered an opening for hackers to exploit. At this time, people are always looking out for information. This makes them susceptible to incidents of phishing through messages and e-mails on the COVID-19 pandemic. Working from home has forced many companies to shift their work and operations to home computers.
Ref - DTNext
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(June 25, 2020)
Cyber insurance market to grow with 26.3% due to COVID-19 crisis
Due to the growing awareness of insurance (thanks to Coronavirus), the surging number of cyber-attacks and increasing government regulations, the profile of cyber risk management firms are becoming better. This factor is set to prove instrumental in driving the cyber insurance market at a 26.3% CAGR between 2020 and 2030, thereby leading to an increase in the industry size from $5,573.2 million in 2019 to $70,671.9 million by 2030.
Ref - GlobeNewsWire
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(June 25, 2020)
Cybercriminals are waiting for businesses to re-open
Cybercriminals will continue to capitalize on the chaos of COVID-19 to infiltrate IT systems and patiently look for the right opportunity to strike. Squire Patton Boggs attorneys say for that reason, companies reopening should consider conducting a comprehensive cyber-audit to identify their cyber vulnerabilities. As businesses slowly and cautiously reopen, cybercriminals lie in wait; patiently hunting for a lucrative opportunity to strike.
Ref - BloombergGlaw
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(June 25, 2020)
Cyber attacks in India increasing since COVID-19 lockdown
Cybersecurity attacks and breaches in the country may have jumped by as much as 500% since the lockdown was first announced in March, according to security experts. Most of the attacks include attacks on small companies, resulting in money lost. Businesses are now receiving cyberattack alerts almost every alternate day compared with an average of once a week before lockdown.
Ref - IndiaTimes
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(June 25, 2020)
Using the power of cybersecurity to fight COVID-19 crisis
COVID-19 outbreak has stricken communities across the globe. The coronavirus’s rapid geographical spread has caught the world off-guard, business continuity, and the world economic order. With a large percentage of the population having transitioned to remote working set-ups, the attack surface areas have expanded drastically, exposing technical vulnerabilities and risks that threaten to hinder an organization’s security.
Ref - CNBCTv18
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(June 24, 2020)
Spike in phishing attacks launched from China
Over the last five days, there has been a massive surge in the number of cyber probes seeking vulnerabilities in Indian cyberinfrastructure, the bulk of which have been traced to the Chinese city of Chengdu. Over 40,000 such probes have been discovered primarily targetting India's IT and banking sectors. It is a wide-scale phishing attack disguising itself as an email with the subject line, 'Free COVID-19 testing.'
Ref - TimesNowNews
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(June 24, 2020)
CISA’s failed to protect health sector from COVID-19-themed cyber attacks
While the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has left a flurry of cybersecurity risks in its wake targeting healthcare and other sectors, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has scarcely missed a beat in carrying out its mission to protect the U.S. from cyber threats. Despite the massive turn to telework at government agencies the accompanying assault of cyberattacks from actors looking to take advantage of the situation, CISA has continued on pace with other missions, including efforts to secure the national elections in November.
Ref - MeriTalk
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(June 24, 2020)
Cybersecurity market analysis with the impact of COVID-19
Cyber-attacks against European targets are becoming increasingly more frequent and more sophisticated, pushing existing security capabilities to the limit. New solutions and the rapid expansion of networks and services indicate that this information overload will only worsen. Considering the economic and business implications of cyber-attacks, it has now become mandatory to invest in state-of-the-art cybersecurity technologies.
Ref - MarketWatch
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(June 24, 2020)
Security measures to stay secure from phishing scams
The way cyber-criminals are exploiting fear surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic, it becomes very hard to stay protected. However, online users can follow basic security measures such as - stay informed about the techniques, think before clicking, use an anti-phishing toolbar, and always be wary of pop-ups. Also, before submitting any sensitive information, make sure that the site's address begins with "https."
Ref - TechGig
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(June 24, 2020)
COVID-19’s pandemic impact on cybersecurity
COVID-19 pandemic is having a dramatic impact on nearly all aspects of organizations nationwide from employee safety to reimagined workplaces to financial hardships. But cyber protection and response during the pandemic cannot take a backseat. Cybercrime is rampant, remote workers expose vulnerabilities, and privacy and security regulation compliance remains top of mind on a state and federal level.
Ref - JDSupra
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(June 24, 2020)
Health care’s cybersecurity challenge amid coronavirus
During the COVID-19 pandemic, health care organizations have been highly targeted for cyber-attacks. And as payers and providers scale their telehealth and digital operations, the risk of a cybersecurity incident increases. The more information technologies a company adopts, the higher its cybersecurity risk profile becomes as it creates new ways for cybercriminals to penetrate the company’s networks and infrastructure.
Ref - Infosys
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(June 24, 2020)
Best practices to stay protected from free COVID-19 testing mail attacks
Don't open attachments in unsolicited e-mails, even if they come from people in the contact list. Never click on a URL contained in an unsolicited e-mail, even if the link seems benign. In case of genuine requests with URLs (like a need to change the bank credentials), close out the e-mail and go to the organization's website directly through browsers. Exercise caution when opening e-mail attachments even if the attachment is expected and the sender appears to be known.
Ref - IndiaTimes
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(June 24, 2020)
Indian firms are vulnerable to cyber attacks
CERT-In, on 19 June, indicated that malicious actors are planning large scale phishing attack campaigns against Indian individuals and businesses. The news of an imminent cyber attack has led many companies to take their vulnerabilities seriously. Several organizations and their clients have seen attacks different from the regular phishing attempts and they expect it to increase in the weeks to come.
Ref - TheQuint
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(June 24, 2020)
Insurers will see cyber coverage leap in wake of COVID-19
The rise in remote working due to the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risk of cyberattacks, giving insurers an opportunity to improve their cyber insurance penetration rate, according to GlobalData. The company said that cyber uptake had been on the rise even prior to the outbreak. Cyber insurance uptake has been most impactful among micro-businesses, which saw a 300% increase between 2016 and 2019, reaching 17.8%.
Ref - InsuranceBusinessMag
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(June 24, 2020)
Robot disinfecting hospitals are highly insecure against cyberattacks
Alias Robotics, a Spanish startup specialized in robot cybersecurity, alerts that the robot that disinfects hospitals in the COVID-19 crisis, as well as most industrial robots that operate in Spain and the rest of the world, are highly insecure and vulnerable to cyber attacks, due to manufacturers ignoring security issues, putting people working nearby at risk.
Ref - PRNewsWire
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(June 24, 2020)
Facing the Coronavirus-themed cyber pandemic
The days when cyberspace could be regarded as a lawless wild west are long over. The internet has become a critical part of global infrastructure, and cyberattacks against its core functions, especially in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, should be treated as the existential threats that they are. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that the internet is a critical, and uniquely global, part of the infrastructure.
Ref - TheAseanPost
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(June 24, 2020)
Payment frauds and cyberattacks are rising due to Coronavirus
The COVID-19 pandemic has opened up new avenues for fraudsters trying to hoodwink unsuspecting customers. More and more customers have moved to digital payments for items ranging from groceries to bill payments. Also, most consumers are at home and prefer to buy groceries and other goods online, making it more convenient for cybercriminals to take advantage of it. Customers are now facing more cyber attacks than before.
Ref - BloombergQuint
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(June 23, 2020)
India facing a spurt of cyber attacks
Hackers based in China attempted over 40,000 cyber attacks on India's Information Technology infrastructure and banking sector in the last five days. One such fraudulent email ID was found to be `ncov2019@gov.in' which sent bogus information about free COVID-19 testing for residents of Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Ahmedabad.
Ref - TimesNowNews
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(June 23, 2020)
Work-from-home amid COVID-19 is resulting in increased cyber-attacks
The Thailand Managed Security Services Market is expected to demonstrate healthy growth during the forecast period on account of the emerging need for cost-effective security solutions for the protection of valuable IT assets. Additionally, an increase in work from home amidst COVID-19 is resulting in increased cyber-attacks, thereby, fueling the Thailand Managed Security Services Market. The growth can be attributed to the rising demand for advanced security services.
Ref - BusinessWire
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(June 23, 2020)
Cyberattacks slowing COVID-19 vaccine race
High-level cyberattacks on facilities researching COVID-19 vaccines have alarmed Australia and the United States, with defense strategists urging them to confront China, the nation widely believed to be responsible for them. The United States Studies Center at the University of Sydney, which receives part of its funding from the Australian government, said June 23 that the US and Australia should jointly protect vulnerable medical sectors.
Ref - AsiaTimes
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(June 23, 2020)
Cybersecurity changes in COVID-19 scenario
In recent months, an invisible virus has changed the world; working from home and remote interactions with services have become the new norm and the way people work, interact, and live has shifted significantly. Within a few months, people and employees have learned many lessons about cybersecurity as well. Just like our day-to-day lives, the attack landscape has changed and it is essential to know what is different and how to react to it, in order to keep the organization safe and secure.
Ref - CIOandLeader
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(June 23, 2020)
Nefilim ransomware gang is active amid Coronavirus
The Nefilim ransomware crime gang is targeting organizations that use unpatched or poorly secured Citrix remote-access technology. The ransomware gang is also stealing data, unleashing crypto-locking malware, and using the threat of exfiltrated data being publicly dumped to try to force payment. Also, ransomware attacks on remote access tools and technologies have increased greatly after the coronavirus pandemic.
Ref - GovInfoSecurity
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(June 23, 2020)
Warning of phishing attacks amid Coronavirus
The PIB (Press Information Bureau) issued a warning on Twitter asking people to adopt safe browsing practices to secure themselves from the phishing attack campaigns against individuals and businesses. In a series of tweets, PIB cautioned the internet users and also listed down the ways that can keep them safe from cyber-attacks. Some fraudulent websites are designed to look like genuine websites, tricking users into revealing personal or financial details.
Ref - IndiaToday
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(June 23, 2020)
Cybercriminals are using COVID-19 to find new phishing victims
Since January, cybercriminals have leveraged the COVID-19 pandemic to stage all manner of cyberattacks, from ransomware take-overs of hospital systems to private network hacking. The latest cybercrime scheme exploits the ‘human emotions’, which is the greatest cybersecurity vulnerability of all. A slew of recent phishing attacks is targeting consumer trust in big-name videoconferencing platforms to steal personal information and harm lives.
Ref - Security Magazine
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(June 23, 2020)
Cybercriminals taking advantage of COVID-19 crisis
Cyber threats are constantly evolving and taking advantage of online behavior and trends. They are exploiting the COVID-19 outbreak as an opportunity to send phishing emails claiming to have important updates or seeking donations, impersonating trustworthy organizations. With most employees working from home, the cybercriminals use common phishing tactics to steal data, identity, money from individuals, and compromise servers from organizations.
Ref - TelanganaToday
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(June 23, 2020)
Chinese Army can carry out a massive cyberattack
One day after Indian agency, tasked with cybersecurity, Cert-In issued an advisory regarding a possible cyber attack in the country, the Indian security agencies have also issued an alert on a possible cyberattack from the Chinese Army. The alert claims that the Chinese cyber warriors are expected to carry a massive phishing attack. It is possible that this attack will be disguised as an offer for the free COVID-19 test.
Ref - LiveMint
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(June 23, 2020)
Australia and US plan to name and shame the cyber attackers targeting health research during COVID pandemic
Australia and the United States have urged to jointly name and shame the state-backed actors that are attempting to steal health research during the coronavirus pandemic. A group of five foreign policy experts also suggested that the two countries should strengthen their ability to counter disinformation campaigns as an urgent priority in light of China's use of such tactics during COVID-19.
Ref - Brisbane Times
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(June 22, 2020)
Coronavirus-themed cyber attacks in India
According to a Niti Aayog (government agency in India) report, phishing and social engineering attacks form 57% of all attacks, followed by malware attacks at 41%, spear-phishing at 30%, DoS at 20%, and ransomware at 19%. Piggy-backing on the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, the cybercriminals are sending phishing emails in the form of an important update’ or under the garb of false cure, false advice, local news, false medication to extract money.
.Ref - TiimesNowNews
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(June 22, 2020)
Cyber ransomware attacks increased amid COVID-19
Beazley, the syndicate of Lloyd specializing in cyber risks, recorded an increase of 25% in ransomware attacks in the United States. The sectors mainly affected by these attacks are manufacturing (+156%), financial services, and healthcare. This increase in cyberattacks during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic is mainly due to reduced vigilance of the American population following the anxiety generated by the health situation.
Ref - Atlas-Mag
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(June 22, 2020)
Many coronavirus apps are inadequate to protect users' information
Governments across the world are leaning on an array of coronavirus technologies, such as contact-tracing apps and smart thermometers, to make decisions about reopening. But experts are warning that their security and privacy protections are lacking which could make it easier for hackers to compromise peoples' personal information. Developers of the apps, researchers say, did not implement strong digital protections.
Ref - WashingtonPost
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(June 22, 2020)
Globally businesses are prone to ransomware attacks due to Coronavirus
In 2021, businesses will fall victim to a ransomware attack every 11 seconds, down from every 14 seconds in 2019, globally. Its proliferation has further been accentuated because of the COVID-19 outbreak, as more and more employees continue to work remotely, and there is less protection due to remote access. It is likely that the users are more susceptible to falling prey to COVID-19-themed malicious emails.
Ref - DynamicCISO
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(June 22, 2020)
Cyber threats amid the COVID-19 crisis
Working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a lifesaver, but it has also brought new threats. Working from home allows people to minimize social interaction, which limits and slows the spread of COVID-19. But, as highlighted in a recent alert from the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC), the electric power industry is in a period of heightened cyber risk due to a large contingent of industry employees working remotely.
Ref - PublicPower
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(June 22, 2020)
The Impact of COVID-19 on Cybersecurity Market
The Global Cybersecurity Market is projected to reach $ 152 billion by 2025 on account of increasing threats of cyber-attacks and data breaches faced by organizations, which has drastically increased the need for strong cybersecurity solutions. Additionally, increasing the use of advanced technologies such as AI, IoT, machine learning, blockchain, among others, for providing cybersecurity solutions is expected to fuel the market growth in the coming years.
Ref - BusinessWire
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(June 22, 2020)
Cybersecurity amid COVID-19 and beyond
Weave cybersecurity through the business, as it demands attention and collaboration from teams across the organization. Put remote workers at the center of strategy and learn from the experts. Security from cyber attacks by design should be the template moving forward. Also, businesses need to define a new normal with a transformed cyber function optimized to enable a new business reality.
Ref - FinancialExecutives
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(June 22, 2020)
Online scammers stole £17m during COVID-19 lockdown
Nearly £17m has been lost to online frauds over the COVID-19 lockdown period with younger shoppers most affected, according to ‘Action Fraud’. The UK’s National Fraud and Cybercrime Reporting Center claimed that online scams had snared 16,352 victims with online shopping and auction fraud since bricks and mortar stores were ordered to close on March 23.
Ref - InfoSecurity Magazine
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(June 22, 2020)
CERT-In warns about massive phishing attacks using COVID-19 as bait
The Indian government has raised a warning about a large-scale cyber attack, where attackers may try to use COVID-19 as a bait to steal personal and financial information against individuals and businesses. The attackers could impersonate government agencies, departments, and trade bodies that have been tasked to oversee the disbursement of government fiscal aid.
Ref - Firstpost
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(June 22, 2020)
The State Bank of India warns 2 million users of cyber attacks in cities like Mumbai, Delhi
The State Bank of India (SBI), India's largest lender, has issued a warning for its 2 million users to beware of an imminent phishing attack (cyber attack). Millions of its customers could be targeted by fake emails, social media posts, or text messages, promising free Covid-19 testing across India.
Ref - IndiaTVNews
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(June 22, 2020)
‘Worldwide Cybersecurity Market to 2025’ - COVID-19 Impact on the Industry
On account of increasing cyber threats of data breaches and other kinds of cyber attacks, the Global Cybersecurity Market is projected to reach $152 billion by 2025. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically increased the need for strong authentication techniques and cybersecurity solutions. The report covers how the increasing use of advanced technologies such as AI, IoT, machine learning, blockchain, among others are expected to fuel the cybersecurity market in the coming years.
Ref - Businesswire
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(June 22, 2020)
How can organizations survive COVID-19
Although some experts see difficulties ahead for security spending due to the COVID-19 epidemic, all experts do not believe that 2020 will result in decreases. Bank of America Securities actually predicts cybersecurity spending to be increasing by about 2.8 percent this year, even as overall IT spending drops. Also, a separate report suggests that there is likely the condition of an increased M&A activity, with larger security vendors picking up smaller companies to help round out their own portfolios.
Ref - Dice
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(June 22, 2020)
Addressing cybersecurity challenges during COVID-19 and beyond
All the private and public companies need to sharpen the focus on cybersecurity and address the potential for expanding threats due to the abrupt shift to a remote workforce. In the short term, organizations should allocate resources specifically to support the business to enable teleworking, start planning for the future by further ensuring remote working capabilities, and determine how to securely interact with third-party sources. Moving forward, businesses need to define a new normal with a transformed cyber function optimized to enable a new business reality.
Ref - Financial Executives
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(June 22, 2020)
Predictions about the ransomware attacks during the cyber pandemic
As reported by an industry survey by CyberEdgeAlmost, 62% of organizations globally have experienced a ransomware attack in the past year. Cybersecurity Ventures, a global cybersecurity research firm, is predicting that globally, businesses in 2021 will fall victim to a ransomware attack every 11 seconds, down from every 14 seconds in 2019.
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(June 22, 2020)
COVID-19 Impact on Fraud Detection and Prevention (FDP) Market
The COVID-19 impact on the global Fraud Detection and Prevention (FDP) market size is projected to grow from USD 23.4 billion in 2019 to USD 38.6 billion by 2021, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 28.4% during the forecast period. North America accounted for the largest market share in the impact of COVID-19 on FDP solutions across the major verticals.
Ref - Businesswire
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(June 22, 2020)
IBM advises tighter cybersecurity in new remote work era
IBM Indonesia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of American technology giant IBM, has advised companies to strengthen the cybersecurity measures and to communicate digital safety to employees in light of the increase in cyberattacks during the "remote working era" of the pandemic. Besides installing the necessary infrastructure, the organization suggested that companies educate their employees on basic digital safety, such as avoiding emails, website links, or downloads from unknown sources.
Ref - The Jakarta Post
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(June 22, 2020)
Indonesia probing alleged COVID-19 test data breach
The Indonesian government says it is investigating the alleged hack of its Covid-19 databases, but it has denied claims that details of 230,000 people who took Covid-19 tests have been leaked online. Reports of the breach arose after an alleged hacker with the username "Database Shopping" offered to sell the personal data of people undergoing Covid-19 testing in Indonesia.
Ref - Straits Times
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(June 21, 2020)
Users suspect secret trackers in the new Apple, Android updates
Some users have claimed on social media that they noticed that Apple and Google recently installed secret trackers on people’s smartphones. They noticed something new in settings: “COVID-19 Exposure Logging” or “COVID-19 Exposure Notifications.” One Tech expert Dave Hatter says that people are seeing an “application programming interface,” or an API. It is the framework for a coronavirus contact tracing app that health agencies could create and release to help monitor the spread of COVID-19 in future. But right now it is not active.
Ref - NBC12
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(June 21, 2020)
Over 500,000 Zoom account credentials sold on the Dark Web and hacker forums
Over 500,000 Zoom accounts were being sold on the Dark Web and hacker forums earlier in April, which were purchased and analyzed by a cybersecurity firm Cyble. Around 530,000 Zoom credentials included in the deal were discovered to be from several well-known companies such as Chase, Citibank and educational institutions including the University of Colorado and the University of Florida.
Ref - National Law Review
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(June 21, 2020)
Adoption of AI critical to protect vital sectors: DFF
Several reports from the Dubai Future Research, an initiative by the Dubai Future Foundation or DFF, tries to anticipate the future of vital sectors in the aftermath of the ongoing global coronavirus crisis. In its eleventh "Life After COVID-19" report, the DFF has acknowledged the surge in cyberattacks worldwide following the outbreak of the pandemic and the growing dependence on digital infrastructures. Government entities may consider implementing AI-based cybersecurity systems to provide ongoing analyses of cyber threats and potential attacks.
Ref - WAM
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(June 20, 2020)
Six countries at target list for COVID-19 phishing emails
There are six nations that may see a large cyber attack on June 21 in the form of a COVID-19-themed phishing campaign from North Korean state hackers. The Coronavirus-themed cyber attacks are part of the Lazarus Group's large-scale campaign targeting more than 50 lakh individuals and businesses, including small and large enterprises, across six countries: India, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, the UK, and the US.
Ref - TribuneIndia
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(June 20, 2020)
Cybercriminals are targeting the healthcare sector majorly amid coronavirus
The global pandemic has resulted in an increase in cyber-attacks on the healthcare sector. Both the surge of patients in hospitals and the growing number of staff coming out of retirement to help cope with the pandemic inevitably lead to an increase in devices connected to hospital networks. Add to that the additional number of connected medical equipment that is needed to treat patients and the picture becomes clear: The number of devices in hospitals has skyrocketed, and so had the associated cybersecurity-related risks.
Ref - HealthCareGlobal
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(June 20, 2020)
A dangerous LinkedIn and InvisiMole attacks are discovered
While the world is focused on fighting COVID-19, cybercriminals are taking full advantage of it as two major cyber-attacks have been spotted. In the first attack, dubbed Operation Interception, attackers impersonated recruiters from reputed aerospace and defense companies on LinkedIn. Another threat which first surfaced in 2013, is dubbed InvisiMole. The spyware tool has extensive espionage capabilities and when installed on a system can perform a wide range of malicious tasks.
Ref - BusinessTech
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(June 20, 2020)
Cybersecurity changes due to COVID-19 crisis
Phishing campaigns were the first attack vector to adapt to COVID-19. The virus caused a change in people’s behavior. People started looking for data on new areas of interest, looking for scarce supplies, visiting new sites, and clicking on new links they have never known before. This behavior change is heaven for phishing and spear-phishing campaigns. Phishing sites scrape legitimate data and sales offers to exploit user machines.
Ref - EleTimes
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(June 19, 2020)
Staying protected from rising cyber-attacks and fraud
Threat-aware employees are the first line of defense against cyber intrusions. To protect from a social engineering attack, coach all employees to take precautions, particularly on their mobile devices. Also, a business can avoid harm from COVID-19-themed phishing and BEC scams with suspicion, training, and technical safeguards. Test security software to make sure it works as it should and follow other basic security measures.
Ref - PWC
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(June 19, 2020)
Cyber fraud and changes in the banking sector increased due to coronavirus
A new wave of payment fraud has emerged in the US, as millions of consumers have shifted their banking and purchasing activity to online channels since the COVID-19 outbreak forced mandatory stay-at-home orders. Most major businesses also shifted their employees from working at the office to working from home full-time during the pandemic. The drastic changes created an entirely new target set for malicious actors.
Rfe - ATMMarketPlace
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(June 19, 2020)
Indian firms see a six-fold rise in ransomware attacks
Indian companies are seeing a six-fold increase in ransomware attacks and paying twice as much ransom to hackers for data recovery in the backdrop of a novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, according to cybersecurity experts. While hackers are driven by financial motives, increasing unemployment and rising demand for competitor data are key drivers. A hacker first targets the vulnerable point (in the company’s infrastructure and sends the ransomware.
Ref - MoneyControl
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(June 19, 2020)
Woman safety amid COVID-19 related cybercrime
Adding to the global increase in domestic abuse, an abundance of cybercrime has surged since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. With particularly enhanced rates of phishing campaigns, the healthcare industry has borne a significant brunt in struggling to balance resource provision for patient care with cybercrime prevention. The threat of cyber attacks such as phishing rendering healthcare resources inaccessible poses an immense risk for victims.
Ref - CyberDefenseMagazine
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(June 19, 2020)
Smaller business having a smaller focus on cyber amid COVID-19 crisis
The Cyber Readiness Institute has found an ongoing gap in focus on cybersecurity threats among the smallest of companies, even as these numerous “micro-businesses” have joined the massive shift to remote work amid the COVID-19 pandemic. There remains a significant gap between the perceived importance of cybersecurity protections for businesses with fewer than 10 employees and those with more than 10 employees.
Ref - InsideCyberSecurity
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(June 19, 2020)
A major upcoming phishing attack which promises free Covid-19 testing
The Indian government has issued an advisory to citizens warning them against a large-scale phishing campaign that impersonates the Indian government and promises free COVID -19 tests and other resources. In return, they steal important personal and financial data of citizens. The malicious actors are claiming to have 2 million individual email addresses and the attack campaign is expected to start on June 21st.
Ref - IndiaTimes
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(June 19, 2020)
Five Eyes will work together to fight COVID-19 cyber attacks
The Five Eyes intelligence alliance has come together to combat a surge in disinformation and state-sponsored cyber attacks triggered by the coronavirus crisis. In a meeting of the alliance earlier this week, the home affairs and security ministers of its member states, the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, explored plans to mitigate the threats. There has been a rise in coronavirus-related ransomware and phishing attacks in recent weeks.
Ref - NewStatesMan
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(June 19, 2020)
Employee and consumer security amid coronavirus crisis
Employee protections are different from consumer protection. At the core of it, though, employees are people, and so many of the same ideas and protections apply to employees. Ultimately, experts agree that the challenges of the new normal also present an opportunity for companies to get it right when expanding their security and privacy practices to cover a widely distributed workforce around the world.
Ref - DarkReading
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(June 19, 2020)
Staying protected from rising cyber-attacks and fraud
Threat-aware employees are the first line of defense against cyber intrusions. To protect from a social engineering attack, coach all employees to take precautions, particularly on their mobile devices. Also, a business can avoid harm from COVID-19-themed phishing and BEC scams with suspicion, training, and technical safeguards. Test security software to make sure it works as it should and follow other basic security measures.
Ref - PWC
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(June 19, 2020)
Cyber attacks on gamers increased during COVID-19 lockdown
There was a 54 percent increase in the daily number of attempts to direct users to malicious sites that exploited the gaming theme in April as compared to January, said cybersecurity firm Kaspersky. The study suggests that cybercriminals have been exploiting the increased popularity in video games during the COVID-19 lockdown to launch attacks. Users are often lured by promises such as free versions of popular games or cheats.
Ref - News18
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(June 19, 2020)
Cybersecurity changes in COVID-19 scenario
In recent months, working from home and remote interactions with services have become the new norm, and the way to work, interact, and live has shifted significantly. Within a few months, many lessons about cybersecurity are learned. Just like day-to-day lives, the attack landscape has changed and it is essential to know what is different and how to react to it, in order to keep the organization safe and secure.
Ref - CXOToday
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(June 19, 2020)
Cybercriminals are targeting self-employed with HMRC SMS phishing scam
Cybercriminals have launched a new phishing scam designed to steal personal and financial details of millions of self-employed workers using the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) during the Covid-19 outbreak. The scam, uncovered by litigation specialists Griffin Law, begins with a text message sent to self-employed workers offering a tax rebate purporting to be from HMRC. The text message informs the victim they are eligible for a tax refund, which eventually leads them to the theft of their personal details.
Ref - TheFintechTimes
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(June 19, 2020)
Cyber risks after businesses will reopen
A rapid rise of opportunistic cybercriminal activity taking advantage of the chaos created by COVID-19 is witnessed. After lockdown lifted, the concern for many companies should also include heightened cybersecurity threats. Incorrect use or misconfigurations create new cyberthreat opportunities to lurking bad actors. A missed certificate, a wrong setting, insufficient management, or unmanaged user training are all open windows for cybercriminals to sneak through.
Ref - Forbes
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(June 19, 2020)
Increasing investments in cybersecurity provide greater protection
Increasing investments in cybersecurity can generate a significant return on investment (ROI) of 179%, according to a new study released by ESI Thoughtlab. The study, which was conducted on some 1,009 companies across 13 industries and 19 countries, has revealed that increasing investments in cybersecurity provide greater protection as companies cope with the fallout from COVID-19 pandemic around the world.
Ref - Smart-Energy
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(June 19, 2020)
Small businesses are hot target amid coronavirus
89% of small businesses are moving to a remote workforce during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. However, small businesses can make themselves resilient against common attacks, such as phishing, by focusing on employee education and awareness and creating a culture of cyber readiness within the organization. Businesses should use best cyber-hygiene practices that focus on using secure passwords, patch management, and understanding the tricks bad actors use to penetrate any infrastructure.
Ref - SecurityBoulevard
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(June 18, 2020)
Authentication disconnected due to COVID-19 fears
Two recent surveys (Specops Software and iProov) highlight a huge disconnect between the public’s authentication fears and their actions. According to a Eurobarometer survey, 41% of Europeans were already concerned about the security of online payments. The survey also reveals that although many users are feeling more vulnerable to cyber threats as a result of the pandemic, they are not using secure authentication techniques.
Ref - CPOMagazine
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(June 18, 2020)
Preventing cybersecurity threats and protecting vulnerable countries
To protect stay protected, countries need to shift from reactive to proactive measures, developing global prevention platforms to identify and prevent such threats. The weaknesses and lack of preparedness exposed at the time of pandemic provide a window onto how a bioterrorist attack might unfold and may increase its risks. Also, emerging technologies create growing interdependence between cyber-, bio- and human security threats.
Ref - WeForum
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(June 18, 2020)
Coronavirus-themed cyber attacks often correlated with local news stories
Microsoft’s Threat Protection Intelligence Team has published a report providing a detailed look into the proliferation of COVID-19-themed phishing over the past several months. The researchers found that the timing of these attacks was often correlated with local news stories, which works better to capitalize on peoples’ fears when tensions were highest. In the UK, for example, COVID-19-themed phishing attacks peaked when the US announced a travel ban to Europe.
Ref - Knowbe4
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(June 18, 2020)
Bitdefender’s Coronavirus related cybersecurity research
A report “Indelible Impact of COVID-19 on Cybersecurity Study” revealed that half of the infosec professionals (50%) didn’t have a contingency plan in place or didn’t know if they did, for a situation like COVID-19 pandemic or a similar scenario. This lack of forward planning has come at great risk, as 86% of infosec professionals admitted that attacks in the most common attack vectors were on the rise during this period.
Ref - CyberRiskLeaders
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(June 18, 2020)
Canada is being targeted for COVID-19 research
When the federal government issued an alert in March saying that sophisticated hackers were targeting COVID-19 researchers in Canada, it did so without citing specific attacks or evidence. One method that hackers are likely to use in stealing research is spear-phishing or targeting researchers with e-mail messages that appear to be from trusted sources. As opposed to generic spam, such messages are personalized and the product of individualized research on the recipient by the sender.
Ref - TheGlobalandMail
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(June 18, 2020)
Coronavirus-themed cyber attacks are preventable
Most Coronavirus-themed cyber attacks can be prevented if the organization chose to follow simple steps: doing security assessment, implementing the spam filtering solution, timely patch deployment, implement IDAM ( Identity and access management solution), use endpoint-detection and response, implement multi factor authentication. They also need to implement mobile device security, data encryption, disaster recovery plan, and web application security.
Ref - EnterpriseITWorld
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(June 18, 2020)
Impact of COVID-19 on the security analytics market
The value of Security analytics has increased exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic as there are unforeseen threats on the horizon and on detected weaknesses that could destroy the infrastructure of a business and its systems. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has required many businesses to transition their employees to work at home positions. This means that employees are now using their own hardware and their own networks, which might be riddled with security issues.
Ref - AnalyticsInsight
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(June 18, 2020)
COVID19-themed attacks are less than 2% of total threats
COVID-19-themed cyber-attacks comprised only a tiny amount of overall threat volumes over the past four months despite sensational headlines, according to Microsoft. In comments echoing those it made at the start of the crisis, the Microsoft Threat Protection Intelligence Team claimed that even the peak of COVID-related attacks in the first two weeks of March was “barely a blip in the total volume of threats typically seen in a month.”
Ref - InfoSecurity Magazine
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(June 18, 2020)
COVID-19 impact on the automotive cybersecurity market
A report titled “Automotive Cyber Security Market: Global Demand Analysis & Opportunity Outlook 2027” delivers a detailed overview of the global automotive cybersecurity market in terms of market segmentation by security, by solution, by application, by vehicle, and by region. The Final Report also covers the impact analysis of COVID-19 on this industry. This report also provides the existing competitive scenario.
Ref - JewishLifeNews
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(June 18, 2020)
Lazarus Group planning a large-scale phishing campaign
Hacker groups (including the Lazarus Group) are planning a large-scale phishing campaign targeted at more than 5M individuals and businesses (small, medium, and large enterprises) across six countries and multiple continents. The hacking campaign involved using phishing emails under the guise of local authorities in charge of dispensing government-funded COVID-19 support initiatives. These phishing emails are designed to drive recipients to fake websites where they will be deceived into divulging personal and financial information.
Ref - Cyfirma
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(June 18, 2020)
Oxford released a statement for protecting healthcare from cyberattacks
An Oxford Statement was signed by a team of 120 International Lawyers, in a bid to protect firms serving in the healthcare sector from cyber attacks. It was a formal pronouncement to combat cyber threats on the computer systems serving in the healthcare sector. The Oxford Statement states that their undersigned lawyers are against the cyber incidents targeting medical facilities across the world that are busy combating the spread and containment of COVID 19.
Ref - Zephynet
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(June 18, 2020)
Cyberattacks targeting the healthcare industry on the rise
Federal prosecutors are looking at false statements made by applicants for coronavirus relief loans. They also are seeing a rise in cyberattacks on the health-care industry. These are some of the coronavirus-related enforcement issues which the U.S. Department of Justice is facing. The health-care industry in particular has been affected by pandemic-related criminal activity. Regulatory agencies also have made efforts to target coronavirus-related fraud and misconduct.
Ref - InsightOnlineNews
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(June 18, 2020)
Cybersecurity challenges around collaboration amid coronavirus
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, many people around the world are working from home, and for this reason, the cybersecurity concerns have grown drastically. Employees are more tempted to get files to colleagues quicker and are more likely to cut corners. With collaboration taking place inside and outside an organization as a matter of course, this has seen entire supply chains potentially exposed to increased cyber-attack during the lockdown.
Ref - ClearSwift
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(June 18, 2020)
Half of SMEs sharing confidential files amid Coronavirus
Nearly half of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are frequently sharing confidential files like spreadsheets and employee data via email. Despite this, three in every five company owners (60%) reported that they have not upgraded company security since shifting to a remote working model. The COVID-19 crisis has forced a majority of business owners to quickly implement remote working systems in order to continue trading despite strict lockdown measures.
Ref - ElectronicsSpecifier
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(June 18, 2020)
China-Russia 'exploiting' COVID-19 pandemic
Foreign Secretary admitted that Russia and China, as well as non-state organizations, are trying to use the coronavirus crisis to their advantage. The UK is constantly preparing itself for cyber-attacks and other forms of international interference despite the challenges of coronavirus. Coronavirus has created an opportunity or perceived opportunity for various different states and non-state actors through cyber and other means.
Ref - Express
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(June 18, 2020)
Sapiens encountered a cyber incident amid the Coronavirus
Sapiens has sent a letter to its workers, customers, and suppliers, telling them about a ransom attack that cost it about a quarter of a million dollars. The hack is believed to have occurred while most of the company’s employees switched to work from home amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. The company's management also issued a letter to suppliers and customers in mid-April telling them about the attack that it was victim to.
Ref - CalcalishTech
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(June 18, 2020)
The changing face of cybercrime amid coronavirus
Trend Micro Incorporated has released data on cybercriminal operations and patterns for buying and selling goods and services in the underground. Trends in underground marketplaces will likely shift further in the months following the global COVID-19 pandemic, as attack opportunities continue to evolve. To protect against the ever-changing threat landscape, a multi-layered defense approach is needed to protect against the latest threats.
Ref - ArabianIndustry
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(June 18, 2020)
Microsoft publishes security tips to combat cyberthreats
To combat cyberthreats, Microsoft suggests users to turn on automatic security updates, antivirus, and firewall. Use Wi-Fi encryption options for access and protect the digital identity and keep a guard up in online chats and conferencing services. Use the right file-sharing service for the right task. Provide training and spread awareness about tech support scams and be wary of offers that are too good to be true, pressure time, or promise a guaranteed free prize.
Ref - IndiaTimes
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(June 17, 2020)
A rise in cyber-attacks across all sectors due to coronavirus
Cyber attacks using COVID-19 as a lure have surged across all industries from March to April 2020. The healthcare sector is the worst hit, with a surge of phishing attacks by almost 200 times in the first four months. Experts say while smart technology helps professionals to do a better job, it also introduces more room for attacks.
Ref - ChannelNewsAsia
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(June 17, 2020)
Cybercriminals launched a wave of attacks on COVID-19 vaccine researchers
Governments, companies, and educational institutions around the world have banded together to come up with a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19. But efforts to collectively come up with a cure have been undermined by a diverse array of cyberattacks from government actors looking to outright steal information about potential vaccines.
Ref - TechRepublic
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(June 17, 2020)
COVID-19 cyber attacks increased in march and fell off quickly
The COVID-19 pandemic saw a massive spike in cyber attacks around the globe this spring. A new report from Microsoft reveals some very surprising details about the surge in criminal activity online. According to Microsoft COVID-19 themed attacks started in early February, just days after the WHO declared a global health emergency. Attack volumes spiked to nearly a million a day during the first week of March. Just a week later they’d fallen off by around 30%. As the calendar flipped ahead to April, cyber attacks leveraging the COVID-19 crisis dropped below 100,000 per day.
Ref - Forbes
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(June 17, 2020)
Coronavirus’s first wave of cybersecurity
Over the last few months, a massive upturn in phishing attacks (over 37% at the start of the crisis) was spotted and attackers seeking to find new vulnerable targets, such as hospitals, have experienced a huge increase in attacks. On a global-scale, threat actors are continuing to innovate, especially where they are having the most success such as web shells, exploit kits, and targeted ransomware. It is ransomware that has seen a large increase over the last few months with attackers changing their focus of attack.
Ref - InfoSecurity Magazine
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(June 17, 2020)
Common cyber attacks increased during COVID-19
A new survey from Bitdefender revealed that 50% of infosec professionals did not have a contingency plan to face a situation like the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey “The Indelible Impact of COVID-19 on Cybersecurity” stated that lack of forward planning from organizations resulted in a surge of cyberthreats, with 86% of infosec professionals admitting that attacks in the most common attack vectors were on the rise during the pandemic.
Ref - CISOMag
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(June 17, 2020)
The COVID-19 crisis dominating the Cybersecurity World
According to the Infosecurity Magazine State of Cybersecurity 2020 report, the COVID-19 pandemic has taken by force not only the public health systems and the world economy but also cybersecurity. It is the trend that has the most profound impact on this industry. Other top trends shaping the sector were the cloud, artificial intelligence and machine learning, the human element, and phishing attacks.
Ref - TripWire
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(June 17, 2020)
COVID-19 is doing good for cybercriminals
The coronavirus pandemic has fuelled a disturbing rise in the number of cyber-attacks. As COVID-19 pushes the legitimate economy towards recession, the cybercrime economy appears to be surging. Furthermore, the impact of the virus has rapidly reshaped the way business is being done on the Dark Web, as buyers and sellers jump on the opportunity to profit from a significant change in supply and demand.
Ref - Biia
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(June 17, 2020)
COVID-19-themed cybercrime while working from home
Cybercriminals are taking advantage of the rampant fear and uncertainty about coronavirus that people are experiencing since the past few months. Many of the cybercriminals who are currently preying on people are after personal data such as credit card information; however, they also pose a severe threat to businesses that have sent their employees home to work remotely.
Ref - Security Magazine
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(June 17, 2020)
REvil ransomware active amid coronavirus pandemic
The cyber crooks behind the notorious REvil ransomware have begun auctioning off stolen data to the highest bidder, according to an auction page that surfaced earlier this month over the Dark Web. The REvil ransomware gang’s new stolen data auction hints not only at the group’s changing tactics but also at the ways in which the economic impact of COVID-19 may come to have an effect on the world of cybersecurity.
Ref - CPOMagazine
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(June 17, 2020)
Securing remote working by using Cloud services
Lines of business applications need a secure, protected cloud platform when people access them while working from home amid coronavirus pandemic. When using cloud platforms, developers can provide new applications with a minimum of financial and compliance risks. The developers can then build and deploy applications quicker because they are not waiting for capital purchases or IT support.
Ref - Information-Age
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(June 17, 2020)
Online safety guide while working remotely
Some general guidelines were provided for employees working from home. Install an antivirus and keep it updated, to protect devices from all kinds of malicious software. Use unique passwords for every time logging in. Ensure to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) every time using public WI-FI. Use two-factor authentication, it adds another layer of authentication on top of username and password. Use passcodes and other basic security measures even when they are optional.
Ref - Medium
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(June 17, 2020)
COVID-19 impact on Global Cyber Security Market
The Global Cyber Security Market Research report provided by Reports Monitor is a detailed study of the Global Cyber Security Market 2020, which covers all the essential information required by a new market entrant as well as the existing players to gain a deeper understanding of the market. The global Cyber Security Market report focuses on the COVID-19 Outbreak Impact analysis of key points influencing the growth of the market.
Ref - ColeOfDuty
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(June 17, 2020)
Cybercriminals are attacking hospitals amid COVID-19
Bad actors are identifying healthcare systems as a particularly desirable target, with hospitals in Spain, France, the Czech Republic, and Israel all having suffered known cyber-attacks since the start of the pandemic. Interpol recently released a global alert to healthcare organizations warning that criminals are attempting to use ransomware attacks to lock users out of their own systems.
Ref - HealthTechDigital
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(June 17, 2020)
COVID-19 exposed the vulnerabilities of remote infrastructure
The increasing number of cyberattacks revealed that most of the modern-day enterprises are unaware of how to approach security in this untrusted and diverse IT landscape. To add to this, the COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed the vulnerabilities of remote infrastructure, making businesses highly prone to cybercrimes. In a situation like this, it becomes imperative for companies to deploy strategies to safeguard themselves from such attacks.
Ref - FinancialExpress
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(June 17, 2020)
Proactive cybersecurity is important to fight coronavirus-themed cyber attacks
Proactive cybersecurity measures could include: Network and endpoint monitoring, achieving proactive security measures by having a mindset of a hacker, threat hunting to eliminate or fix the risk zone before it can be misused by a hacker. Also, organizations need to be proactive in training their SOC team members as they are the heart of any organization’s defense mechanism. Age-old tools and technologies cannot efficiently battle modern threats.
Ref - CXOToday
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(June 17, 2020)
Cyberattacks targeting the financial sector amid COVID-19
As the COVID-19 battle continues, it is clear that attackers will continue to target vulnerable populations and organizations, with an eye on finance. Increased vigilance and visibility into enterprise-wide endpoint activity are more paramount than ever. In order to fight against these attacks, financial institutions must conduct regular cyber threat hunting exercises to root out any persistent attacker that might already be inside.
Ref - HelpNetSecurity
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(June 17, 2020)
Businesses are vulnerable to attacks due to coronavirus
For Indian cybersecurity startups, COVID-19 presents a rare opportunity to cement their standing among larger rivals, as they address the growing demand for high-quality threat detection, preparation, and prevention solutions. Admittedly, the grown landscape of cyber attacks makes the role of cybersecurity even more critical in the ‘new normal’ where businesses are faced with either a remote or a distributed working model.
Ref - YourStory
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(June 17, 2020)
Ensuring security and data protection while working remotely
While most organizations are channeling efforts towards business continuity, they also need to pay attention to securing systems, resources, and data while activating necessary mechanics for monitoring and protection to embrace the new normal, remote working. In this situation, IT teams need to effectively facilitate the infrastructure and the environment in innovative ways, considering that work from home is going to continue for a long period.
Ref - DQIndia
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(June 16, 2020)
Coronavirus brings a larger attack surface
Security professionals around the world are facing a larger attack surface due to coronavirus. More employees than ever are working from home and using routers, Wi-Fi modems, and home networks that are much less secure than corporate environments. The shift to working from home has created a massive surge in demand for cloud services. Also, security analysts and IT administrators are the most desired targets of threat actors because most of them are working from home.
Ref - Bricata
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(June 16, 2020)
An increase detected in nation-state misinformation and cyberattacks
4iQ, an adversary intelligence company, released its COVID-19 Threat Report, which explores a host of notable scams that have surfaced during these uncertain times, including sextortion/blackmail emails, fake news, ransomware, and phishing campaigns. In this report, 4iQ describes trends that have emerged in the wake of COVID-19. The reports offer insight into who is committing these cybercrimes, and why.
Ref - Security Magazine
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(June 16, 2020)
Cybercriminals adapt their tactics according to coronavirus crisis
In the past several months, seemingly conflicting data have been published about cybercriminals taking advantage of the COVID-19 outbreak to attack consumers and enterprises alike. Big numbers can show shifts in attacker behavior and grab headlines. Cybercriminals did indeed adapt their tactics to match what was going on in the world, and what was seen in the threat environment was parallel to the uptick in COVID-19 headlines and the desire for more information.
Ref - Microsoft
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(June 16, 2020)
Need for cybersecurity experts grows after Coronavirus
Amid the lockdown brought on by COVID-19, cyberattacks have risen considerably, resulting in the growing demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals. Cybersecurity-based job postings increased by 6%, while searches for various roles related to it grew by 30% from February to May 2020. In comparison, job postings related to software development rose by 13%, while searches for these roles grew by 37%, during the same period.
Ref - LiveMint
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(June 16, 2020)
Cybercriminals keep looking for new ways to exploit coronavirus fear
From the very beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, cybercriminals have been looking for ways to use it for their own benefit. Attackers send out phishing emails, passing them off as important messages about COVID-19, and also attack medical and research organizations involved in testing and research in this area, both for the purpose of gaining profit and for useful information. Also, one of the serious problems associated with both COVID-19 and the field of information security is the spread of misinformation.
Ref - Belinsoft
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(June 16, 2020)
Ransomware attacks on healthcare sector amid coronavirus crisis
A host of cyberattack trends in the health sector have emerged in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as hackers seek to take advantage of the crisis with ransomware and misinformation campaigns, according to a 4iQ report. Mitigation techniques, such as edge-to-cloud security, can help reduce the increased risk to the healthcare sector.
Ref - HealthITSecurity
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(June 16, 2020)
Developing markets face challenges due to ransomware and malware encounters
Microsoft unveiled Asia Pacific findings from the latest edition of its Security Endpoint Threat Report 2019, annual research aimed at identifying cyber threats and building cyber resilience across the region. Of the millions of targeted phishing messages seen globally each day, roughly 60,000 include COVID-19 related malicious attachments or malicious URLs. COVID-19-themed threats are mostly rethreaded versions of existing attacks.
Ref - TechnologyForYou
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(June 16, 2020)
SaaS applications should be used for remote working
The evolution of Software as a Service (SaaS) tool comprises collaboration boosters like videoconferencing and real-time communication software. The importance of these tools is more in empowering organizations, not just to survive the COVID-19 pandemic but also to thrive in the future and rise above the current challenges. During these days, cloud has been offering a major set of capabilities like security, flexibility, and scalability for enabling work from home.
Ref - ITSecurityDemand
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(June 16, 2020)
Cyber fraud increased due to changes in banking after coronavirus
A new wave of payment fraud has emerged in the US, as millions of consumers have shifted their banking and purchasing activity to online channels since the COVID-19 outbreak forced mandatory stay-at-home orders, and most major businesses shifted their employees to work from home on a full-time basis. These drastic shifts in e-commerce and mobile banking has opened up an entirely new target set for malicious actors.
Ref - MobilePaymentsToday
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(June 16, 2020)
Every country in the world facing COVID-19-themed cyber attacks
According to the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Protection team, every country in the world has seen at least one COVID-19 themed cyber attack. Of the millions of targeted messages seen each day, roughly 60,000 involve COVID-19 related malicious attachments or malicious URLs. Also, attackers impersonating established entities like the World Health Organization (WHO) and other health-related organizations to trick people into clicking on links in unsolicited emails.
Ref - Microsoft
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(June 16, 2020)
COVID-19 impact on Global Threat Intelligence Software Market
The latest research study on the “Global Threat Intelligence Software Market” published by AMA offers a detailed overview of the factors influencing the global business scope. A special chapter in the study presents ‘Impact Analysis of COVID-19 pandemic on Global Threat Intelligence Software Market’ along with tables and graphs related to various countries and segments showcasing the impact on growth trends.
Ref - PrimeFeed
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(June 16, 2020)
Israeli COVID-19 patient tracing app is having privacy issues
Israeli startup GlobeKeeper Tech Ltd.’s SAFE application, designed to trace proximity to coronavirus (COVID-19) patients is causing concern in the U.S. The company is currently in negotiations to sell the app to state governments as well as to private companies. The Tel Aviv-based company developed the SAFE app in parallel to developing the Israeli Ministry of Health’s Magen (Hebrew for shield) proximity tracing app, but the two are very different.
Ref - CalcalisTech
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(June 16, 2020)
Cybercriminals are pushing phishing/ransomware scams amid Coronavirus
There was a 25% spike in ransomware attacks in the first quarter of 2020 versus the fourth quarter of 2019, based on incidents reported to the in-house breach response team for insurer Beazley’s Breach Response (BBR) Services. While nearly all industries reported incidents, the manufacturing sector was the hardest hit with a 156% increase in incidents quarter-over-quarter, according to the specialist insurer.
Ref - InsuranceJournal
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(June 16, 2020)
COVID-19-related cyber attacks are falling
While COVID-19-related attacks have fallen, a 16% increase in overall cyber-attacks in May compared to March and April is recorded, so organizations must remain vigilant by using certain tools and techniques, especially with the mass shift to remote working, which attackers are taking advantage of. Check Point researchers warn that with the Dridex, Agent Tesla, and Ursnif banking trojans all rank in the malware top 5 in May 2020.
Ref - Checkpoint
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(June 16, 2020)
Impact of COVID-19 on Middle East Cybersecurity Market
The Middle East Cybersecurity pre-COVID 19 Market size is projected to grow from USD $16.1 billion in 2020 to USD $28.7 billion by 2025, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.2%. The post-COVID 19 market size is projected to grow from USD 15.6 billion in 2020 to USD $29.9 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 13.8% during the forecast period.
Ref - MarketWatch
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(June 16, 2020)
Lazarus Group exploiting fears of COVID-19
An unusually high number of new malware variants linked to North Korean hackers may indicate a phase of increasing attacks against foreign targets. Malware analysts at Intezer identified ten new samples attributed to the Lazarus Group within the past two weeks, a number that is not common at all and maybe aiming to exploit common fears related to COVID-19. These samples were uploaded from countries such as the United States and Canada.
Ref - NKNews
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(June 16, 2020)
Bahrain, Norway, and Kuwait tracing apps putting privacy at risk
Contact-tracing apps rolled out by Bahrain, Kuwait, and Norway to track the spread of the coronavirus have endangered the privacy and security of hundreds of thousands of people by marking users’ locations in real-time. Bahrain’s “BeAware Bahrain”, Kuwait’s “Shlonik” and Norway’s “Smittestopp” apps stood out as some of the most alarming mass surveillance tools in an analysis of 11 apps across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Ref - BloombergQuint
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(June 15, 2020)
Norway suspends COVID-19 Tracing App due to privacy concerns
Norway's health authorities said they had suspended an app designed to help trace the spread of the new coronavirus after the national data protection agency said it was too invasive of privacy. Launched in April, the smartphone app Smittestopp ("Infection stop") was set up to collect movement data to help authorities trace the spread of COVID-19, and inform users if they had been exposed to someone carrying the novel coronavirus.
Ref - SecurityWeek
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(June 15, 2020)
Evolution of cybersecurity threat of Coronavirus
After the Coronavirus pandemic, businesses are facing an increased frequency of cyber-attacks. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the World Health Organization has reported an increase in cyberattacks, going so far as to issue a warning that hackers and cyber scammers are taking advantage of the pandemic to send fraudulent email and messages. Any change in routine creates new opportunities for hackers and cybercriminals.
Ref - ExtremeNetworks
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(June 15, 2020)
Need for increased cybersecurity efforts amid COVID-19
While economic turbulence and increased mental health issues have emerged as some of the top concerns brewing amid the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s also been a massive surge in cybercrimes across the world. Cybersecurity Ventures, researchers for the global cyber economy, predicted that cybercrime damages will cost the world $6 trillion annually by 2021, up from $3 trillion in 2015. And the cybercrime dangers have exacerbated even more during the pandemic.
Ref - Mashable
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(June 15, 2020)
Zero-day phishing email attacks on the rise after Coronavirus pandemic
Amid a troubling rise in zero-day phishing attacks, recent research suggests that some companies may be making an ill-advised shift away from blocking advanced email threats to responding to them post-delivery. Since January, cybercriminals taking advantage of the COVID-19 outbreak have been targeting businesses and individuals with an unprecedented wave of phishing emails fraudulently offering miracle cures, and more.
Ref - Agari
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(June 15, 2020)
Protecting schools from cyber attacks amid Coronavirus
Schools around the world have been forced to adopt an online learning model for students thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the biggest concerns educators need to have in this situation is exactly how to create a fully secure remote learning environment in order to keep sensitive information for both the schools and individual students safe from hackers.
Ref - CyberSecurity
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(June 13, 2020)
Cano Health is compromised amid coronavirus crisis
Cano Health, a health management company and operator of primary care medical centers in Florida, is advising its patients of a privacy event that may have compromised certain personal information. The company recently learned on April 13, 2020, that three employee email accounts were accessed by an unknown perpetrator, and that messages from these accounts may have been forwarded to an outside email account without its knowledge.
Ref - Data Breaches
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(June 15, 2020)
White hat hackers are protecting hospitals from cyber attacks
The white hat hackers and cybersecurity companies are fighting against an array of cyberattacks that are taking advantage of the stress and chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic. They are using their skills for defining and defending against phishing attacks and tackling misinformation. The groups are working closely with law enforcement, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
Ref - FreeThink
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(June 15, 2020)
Importance of cybersecurity awareness training
According to various reports, there’s been a 500% increase in cyber attacks since the Coronavirus turned the world upside down. During the pandemic, IT heroes across the globe have been doing everything they can to keep employees productive while working remotely, but it is becoming harder and harder for IT teams. This is why now, more than ever, cybersecurity awareness is of the utmost importance.
Ref - CXOToday
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(June 15, 2020)
UAE witnessed a 24% drop in smartphone cyber attacks
The number of cyberattacks targetted at smartphones in the UAE dropped 24.3 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2020. Apparently, users remained increasingly cautious as they continued to work remotely to curb the spread of COVID-19. Smartphone users in the country encountered 39,828 attacks in the three months to March 31, nearly 12,779 less than the same period last year, disclosed by Kaspersky, the Moscow-based cybersecurity company.
Ref - TheNational
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(June 15, 2020)
Cybersecurity for remote workers is a challenge for Australian and New Zealand businesses
The partial lifting of COVID-19 shutdown restrictions is ongoing, and the resumption of normal service is still some way off, for Australian and New Zealand businesses. Even after it arrives, enterprises of all stripes may well persist with remote working arrangements for some or all employees, some or all of the time. Helping customers navigate the security risks posed by this modus operandi has been a key challenge for the region’s small army of managed service providers.
Ref - RemoteWorkerTech
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(June 15, 2020)
COVID-19 impact on Cloud amid work from home
McAfee released a new research study titled Cloud Adoption & Risk Report - Work From Home Edition. The report uncovers a correlation between the increased use of cloud services and collaboration tools, such as Cisco WebEx, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Slack during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with an increase in cyber-attacks targeting the cloud. The use of all cloud services from every industry grew 50% overall from the start of 2020.
Ref - Mcafee
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(June 15, 2020)
Cybersecurity for SMBs amid Coronavirus pandemic
For SMBs transitioning to online operations and delivery, Microsoft has shared Teams as a free offering to give them a leg up in the past six months. Cybersecurity is a particularly challenging area for SMBs, as phishing and hacks have skyrocketed over the past several months, making these businesses susceptible to attacks. By implementing a critical communications infrastructure that maintains security, such as Teams, can be a good help to maintain operations and productivity.
Ref - BusinessWorld
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(June 15, 2020)
Need for secure video technologies amid COVID-19
As a result of remote working setups due to COVID-19, the use of enterprise video technologies has increased significantly in Australia and New Zealand. The pandemic has been a video's evolutionary event. Whether it's hosting an industry conference or holding a company meeting, enterprises will continue growing their need for secure, reliable video technologies to stay connected both internally and with the market and customers.
Ref - RemoteWorkTech
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(June 15, 2020)
Cybercriminals are targeting working from home security flaws
Cyber attackers utilizing the remote access software (that are in great demand due to Coronavirus) to get inside the networks of the organizations they want to attack. Once they have that access, they are using that to lock and disable the systems, and then they are asking for money in order to re-enable those systems so that the organizations can continue to operate. These attackers are more likely financially motivated.
Ref - RNZ
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(June 15, 2020)
COVID-19 impact on Automated Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) Market
Automated Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) Market research report are now released and it covers an overview of the industry policies. The report details information about the top key players, sales, revenue, future trends, research findings, and opportunities. A granular case study of impacts of COVID 19 on Automated Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) Market has been incorporated in this detailed report.
Ref - SurfacingMagazine
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(June 15, 2020)
Lockdown is resulting in an increase in cybercrime
The lockdown, carried out in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has been found directly responsible for a significant increase in cybercrime in Australia and globally, says security vendor Radware. The increased number of people working from home opened up many opportunities for hackers and criminals. The lockdown caused by pandemic has also meant a significant increase in the use of entertainment services for video streaming and online gaming, making it easier for the so-called ‘bad guys’ to carry out cyber attacks.
Ref - ITWire
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(June 15, 2020)
Claire's and Intersport web store breached amid Coronavirus
Hacker groups that engage in web skimming attacks (also known as Magecart) have breached the web stores of two of the world's biggest retail chains accessories store Claire's and sporting goods retailer Intersport. Both Claire's and Intersport incidents took place during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic when most physical stores had been closed, and the companies redirected users toward their online sites for product purchases.
Ref - ZDNet
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(June 14, 2020)
The payment card data security standard and COVID-19
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, it seems that cybercriminals have ramped up their efforts and organizations are increasingly failing to maintain full compliance with all twelve requirements that constitute the PCI DSS standard. Unfortunately, while realizing compliance with the PCI DSS is a fundamental step to building a strong security posture, many mistake certification of such compliance as the equivalent of the security.
Ref - FintechMagazine
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(June 13, 2020)
Stay away from viruses and cyber frauds during COVID-19 crisis
There has been an unprecedented increase in malicious cyber activity during the COVID-19 crisis. Phishing attacks attempting to steal money or secrets from home-office workers have more than doubled compared to last year, and in some places, they are up sixfold. Even hospitals treating COVID-19 patients have been targeted, and the World Health Organization (WHO) itself has reported a five-fold increase in attacks on its networks.
Ref - KhaleejTimes
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(June 13, 2020)
China become a victim of disinformation campaigns about Coronavirus on Twitter
The Chinese government disclosed that it has been affected by some disinformation campaigns on Twitter. It called on the social media platform to delete accounts that have been attacking the country over the coronavirus. The move came a day after Twitter had removed more than 170,000 accounts (23,750 accounts that were part of a highly engaged core network, as well as 150,000 “amplifier” accounts) tied to a Chinese influence operation that spread misinformation.
Ref - Corona-COVID19
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(June 13, 2020)
Digital identity solutions market will grow due to Coronavirus
Digital Identity Solutions Market report aims to provide a holistic view of the global market in terms of upcoming technology, key developments, drivers, restraints and future trends, along with the impact analysis of these trends on the market for short-term, mid-term and long-term. The increase in risks of cyberattacks has increased the inclination of business parties electing for on-premises due to its high security.
Ref - MedicInsider
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(June 12, 2020)
Risk of data loss increases amid Coronavirus
Data loss is on the steady rise among private companies and public organizations alike, creating a dire risk for companies during the coronavirus crisis. This is according to a new data trends report by cybersecurity solutions firm Digital Guardian. The report revealed that hundreds of terabytes of potentially sensitive corporate data might be at risk, as it is being stored and accessed by employees from their homes. The report covered organizations across a range of sectors, including financial services, business services, manufacturing, and healthcare, among others.
Ref - CPO Magazine
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(June 12, 2020)
Cybersecurity before and after COVID-19
During the COVID-19 epidemic, there have been several instances of fraudsters targeting airlines, hacking of COVID-19 related health databases, and most notably brandjacking attacks on the PM’s COVID-19 Relief fund. Work from home continues to be the go-to option for the near future and there is a possibility of it becoming a permanent feature for most kinds of jobs and businesses to stay protected even after the pandemic is over.
Ref - InvestIndia
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(June 12, 2020)
COVID-19-themed cyberthreats increased in India, Brazil, and the U.K.
Google has warned about the emerging COVID-19 cyber threats in India, Brazil, and the U.K. The search engine giant stated that attackers are using malware and phishing emails that imitate legitimate financial incentives to entice users to respond. An increased number of email attacks are observed, most of them COVID-19 related scams, in the targeted countries.
Ref - CISOMag
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(June 12, 2020)
COVID-19 impact on Mobile Security Software Market 2020-2024
Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Mobile Security Software Market 2020-2024. Technavio has been monitoring the mobile security software market and it says that it is poised to grow by USD 1,862.62 million during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of over 8% during the forecast period. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, the latest trends and drivers, cyberattacks, and the overall market environment.
Ref - BusinessWire
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(June 12, 2020)
COVID-19 effects on national security and cyber espionage
COVID-19 has seen a major shift in the tactics used by cybercriminals. Many scammers have used the disruption of the Coronavirus pandemic to target people with social engineering attacks, but there have also been far more ambitious attacks. There is a lot of valuable information sitting on government and medical research facility databases, and no shortage of actors trying to get their hands on this information.
Ref - ITGovernance
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(June 12, 2020)
Cybersecurity and fraud during COVID-19 pandemic
Cybersecurity is a growing risk for all organizations, and it’s clear that charities and religious organizations are a target for those wishing to perpetrate fraud or hackers just as other businesses are. The government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2019 revealed that around 20% of charities have experienced some form of data breach or cyber-attack in the past 12 months, highlighting the vulnerability of the sector.
Ref - Stoneking
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(June 12, 2020)
COVID-19 pandemic may end but cybercrime will stay
While world governments are easing quarantine measures, cybercriminals are ramping up their malicious activities. In May, there was a 16% increase in cyber-attacks compared to March-April, when coronavirus was at its peak. High unemployment rates have made individuals more vulnerable to scams and phishing attacks involving relief package payments. The COVID-19 pandemic may be dying down, but the cybercrime pandemic is alive and here to stay.
Ref - Forbes
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(June 12, 2020)
Cybercriminals are now restless due to Coronavirus
The flow of news stories about the latest cyber-attacks is relentless. Criminals and hackers never seem to rest and are always ready to take advantage of any situation to try and compromise organizations’ defenses for their own ends. In the past month alone, a 30% increase in cyber-attacks was seen, exploiting concerns about COVID-19, thus creating a cyber pandemic.
Ref - CheckPoint
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(June 12, 2020)
Cybersecurity remains a top priority amid accelerated digital transformation
As the digital transformation of the economy and migration of society online have been forcibly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, cybersecurity must remain a priority for policymakers. A comprehensive federal cybersecurity strategy could help improve the cybersecurity of assets beyond the reach of the federal government, to the benefit of local governments, companies, and citizens.
Ref - Aei
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(June 12, 2020)
Cybercrime pandemic triggered by COVID-19
Seventy-five percent of IT and security professionals fear a further increase in cyber-attacks and exploits as they start to re-open offices. Moreover, over 86% say their greatest IT challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic was moving to mass remote working, and their biggest security concern was maintaining VPN capacity for staff. This shows how exposed organizations are too fast-moving, fifth-generation cyber-attacks that target remote workers.
Ref - ITWeb
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(June 12, 2020)
Hackers are attempting to use non-secure cameras
Video surveillance systems have always been vulnerable to attacks. Ever since IP technology was first introduced, security cameras have been an attractive target for hackers. That attraction has deepened all the more during the COVID-19 pandemic. Experts are pointing out that increasingly more hackers are attempting to use non-secure cameras to generate network traffic for Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
Ref - SecurityMagazine
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(June 12, 2020)
Email-based cyber-attacks are inevitable due to COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has left its mark on the cybersecurity world, with countless reports of increased threatening activity, especially when it comes to email breaches. In a stark reminder of the severity and prominence of cybercrime in 2020, 60% of global IT decision-makers believe it is either inevitable or likely that they will suffer an email cyber-attack in the next 12 months, according to new research from Mimecast. The company has released its annual State of Email Security report, which surveyed 1,025 IT managers on their view of the current state of cybersecurity, both within their organization and without.
Ref - SecurityBrief
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(June 12, 2020)
Digital healthcare and rising cyber concerns
COVID-19 has not only pushed economies into recession but also brought forth the fragility of healthcare systems in general. Migrating to digital mode has since been a major move across the healthcare sector. Increased digitalization is expected to help service providers create a robust and critical infrastructure focused on patient’s safety and quality care. The future of digital healthcare appears promising as patients would be more comfortable using digital services for complex and sensitive medical conditions.
Ref - IDSA
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(June 12, 2020)
CISOs/CIOs reprioritizing investments due to Coronavirus
CISOs and CIOs are adjusting to a different future. All but two percent of CISOs/CIOs plan shifts in cyber strategy. They’re reprioritizing investments. Seventy percent expect their organization’s revenues to decrease in 2020 as a result of COVID-19; more than a quarter anticipate declines of more than 25%. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime kind of challenge. CISOs and CIOs must play a major role as businesses face challenges.
Ref - PWC
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(June 11, 2020)
The evolution of COVID-19-themed cyber attacks
Countries with governments that have bungled their national responses to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, such as the UK, are seeing an evolution in targeted cyber threats exploiting the crisis as a result, according to research conducted by Google. After three to four months of the pandemic, malicious actors are now conducting increasingly sophisticated, tailored attacks, many of them mimicking communications from the authorities.
Ref - ComputerWeekly
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(June 11, 2020)
Cyber risks amid heightened mobile banking use
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a public bulletin warning that mobile banking customers could face an increased risk of cyber attacks as more consumers embrace digital banking amid COVID-19. The FBI warned cyber attackers are embedding malicious apps called banking trojans that are hidden inside third-party software like games or other tools. The banking trojan can replicate legitimate banking sites.
Ref - MobilePaymentsToday
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(June 11, 2020)
Cybercrime growing due to COVID-19 pandemic
As people try to adapt to a changing world, cybercriminals are taking advantage of changes to physical working conditions. The Australian Cyber Security Centre’s Scamwatch has reported an increase in COVID-19-themed SMS, email campaigns, and other types of cyber-related scams since March 2020, with over 1,100 reports about COVID-19 scams, and almost $130,000 in losses reported. The ACSC has also received more than 115 cybercrime and cybersecurity incident reports from individuals and businesses.
Ref - ACA
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(June 11, 2020)
Phishing attacks on rise since Coronavirus pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic and the sudden shift to remote working for millions of employees have presented cyber crooks with a one-of-a-kind opportunity. So much so that in mid-April, Google reported that in just one week, it saw a whopping 18 million daily malware and phishing emails related to COVID-19, sent via Gmail alone. This is in addition to the 240 million daily COVID-19 related spam messages Google saw.
Ref - Forbes India
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(June 11, 2020)
Cybersecurity needs a good investment not budgetary
Many CISOs face limited budgets as constraints when fighting against cyberattacks. But, it is simply an adverse prioritization. And if security is not visibly towards the top of the agenda with management, they cannot expect good execution to follow regardless of the investments made. One trait, which many of the firms affected by cybersecurity incidents had in common (pre-COVID-19), was their relatively good economic health.. They were healthy and established market players churning up healthy profits. So having high budgets may not always mean having the most secure infrastructure.
Ref - Business2Community
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(June 11, 2020)
COVID-19 impact on global healthcare cybersecurity market
The Global Healthcare Cyber Security Market is released giving up info about global, regional, country, threat type, solution type, and end-users market size and their forecast from 2018-2026. The surge in the number of cyber-attacks and data breaches incidents, the growing need for advanced security cloud-based solutions, mounting technological advancements in cybersecurity, and the presence of favorable government regulations and acts to protect patient information from data breaches are driving the market growth.
Ref - OrianResearch
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(June 11, 2020)
Protecting IT firms amid COVID-19 pandemic
In terms of the precautions to stay protected users must take, it’s vital that workers only use the company’s approved IT tools with strong security such as inbuilt VPNs back to the corporate office. Looking at this from a business’ perspective, there are a number of steps IT leaders can take too, namely in access management. As the world increasingly relies on the cloud, especially at the moment, to access and scale company resources, too many are still reliant on static passwords, which are inherently insecure.
Ref - GDPR
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(June 11, 2020)
Cyberthreats ongoing amid COVID-19 crisis
Cyber attackers constantly keep on evolving to take advantage of changing online behavior and trends. Given the current situation caused by COVID-19, cyber attackers are now exploiting the public fear of the pandemic for malicious activities. Not just the fear, they are also taking advantage of a remote workforce that has now become the new norm due to COVID-19. A major part of a remote workforce uses personal devices to access business-critical data.
Ref - GajShield
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(June 11, 2020)
Cyberattacks increased as COVID-19 drives firms to the web
NTT’s 2020 Global Threat Intelligence Report shows that cybercriminals look to gain from the global crisis despite efforts by organizations to layer up their cyber defenses. Cybercriminals are continuing to innovate faster than ever before and automate their attacks as firms rely more on their web presence during the COVID-19 pandemic, exposing themselves to risk through systems and applications that cybercriminals are already targeting heavily.
Ref - Frontier-Enterprise
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(June 11, 2020)
COVID-19 crisis has reshaped the cyber-threat landscape
Intelligence analysts say some of the normally less active states have begun using cyber-espionage more aggressively and they have seen allies target each other for information for the first time. It's a free-for-all out there. In an era of controlled borders and lockdowns, spy agencies have found it harder to use human assets and so relied even more on cyber-spies and pushed them to do more. Those involved in responding to the crisis have become a prime target.
Ref - BBC
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(June 11, 2020)
Importance of training employees in cybersecurity
Negligent employees or fraudulent insider represents almost half of all enterprise data breaches, and they are considered to be the weakest link when attempting to safeguard an organization from cyber threats. More often than not, good-intentioned employees make mistakes or are tricked and pushed towards data breaches. So establishing a cybersecurity awareness program for the entire workforce has become much more important than ever.
Ref - ExpressComputer
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(June 11, 2020)
A rise in COVID-19 threats in certain parts of the world
Google has warned of a rise in COVID-19 threats in specific parts of the world, as cyber-criminals adapt their campaigns regionally. The tech giant’s Gmail security product manager, Neil Kumaran, and lead security PMM for G Suite and GCP, Sam Lugani, explained that they’re blocking more attacks in India, the UK, and Brazil. These malware, phishing, and spam threats use regionally relevant lures, financial incentives, and fear to create urgency and entice users to respond.
Ref - InfoSecurity Magazine
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(June 11, 2020)
Vard shipbuilder hit by ransomware attack amid Coronavirus
Amid COVID-19 situation, maritime and offshore energy sectors are becoming more vulnerable to cyber-attack. A ransomware attack was spotted at Langsten shipyard, after which the company took all the possible actions required in order to solve the issue. It is also known that Italian major shipbuilder Fincantieri has acquired Vard and invested in boosting the Norwegian shipbuilder back to profitability.
Ref - Safety4Sea
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(June 10, 2020)
COVID-19 could end but cyber effects will continue
While the COVID-19 pandemic may fade, its cyber effect will not, according to a new survey by Check Point. The company released the findings of a survey of over 270 IT professionals globally, showing how organizations managed their cyber-security during the lockdowns and also listing their security priorities and concerns over the coming months as they move towards re-opening their operations and the “new normal.”
Ref - JPost
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(June 10, 2020)
Sudden change in working conditions increased cyber risks
COVID-19 pandemic has fueled the pace of change in the healthcare sector, from telehealth expansion to the rapid deployment of temporary hospitals. But the increase in telework, mobile tech, remote care, and temporary hospitals has also expanded the threat landscape, which could have lasting consequences. Cybercriminals have rapidly worked to take advantage of the new landscape, targeting VPNs, cloud service platforms, and remote workers.
Ref - HealthITSecurity
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(June 10, 2020)
Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure amid Coronavirus
The significant uptick in telework and spear phishing attacks related to COVID-19 has sparked a focus on the cybersecurity of information technology networks. A recent attack against water systems in Israel is a reminder that companies should also be mindful of the cybersecurity threats facing operation technology and industrial control systems. Companies can prepare for the operational, reputational, and litigation risks that are expected to arrive soon.
Ref - OMM
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(June 10, 2020)
Ransomware Attacks on Healthcare increased greatly
A new report from ‘Corvus’ found a 75-percent increase in reports of ransomware attacks on healthcare entities from H1-2019 to H2-2019. The report covers the IT security traits of healthcare entities, including hospitals, health systems, doctor’s offices, consultants, and more. These entities have been the target of hundreds of ransomware attacks in recent years, the report says and those are only what’s been reported to the public.
Ref - SecurityMagazine
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(June 10, 2020)
Security preparation of airports and airlines
The COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled numerous vulnerabilities and shortcomings in the airline industry. What’s worse for aviation in particular over other industries is how airports have essentially served as the portal for the virus traveling from one country to another across the globe. As a result of severe travel restrictions implemented by nearly every country, airline companies have been hit hard and forced into a dire financial situation.
Ref - CyberSecurity
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(June 10, 2020)
Staying safe while working from home
Organizations should utilize this huge work-from-home exercise as an opportunity for self-evaluation of their critical IT infrastructure. Even the traditional organizations globally have realized the immense business benefit of remote working decentralized workplaces for business continuity. This is becoming the new norm and hence they should also work towards making themselves more secure from probable cyber-attacks.
Ref - FinancialExpress
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(June 10, 2020)
Managing cyber attacks amid COVID-19
Only a few businesses are prepared for multiple and concurrent crises. Most can survive a single disruption, but dealing with a second while already in a weakened state increases the impact exponentially. When the COVID-19 crisis began and the lockdown was implemented, the first action businesses should have taken (after actioning remote working) was to reassess their risks. Because IT systems are still hosted from headquarters, and that risk is the same, right now organizations face a dual risk of exposure of their internal networks to outside threats.
Ref - FSMatters
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(June 10, 2020)
Developing a secure email ecosystem and stopping COVID-19 cyberthreats
As the world continues to adapt to the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, cyber threats are evolving as well. To stay protected: avoid downloading files that are malicious; instead, use Gmail’s built-in document preview; check the integrity of URLs before providing login credentials or clicking a link fake URLs generally imitate real ones and include additional words or domains; report phishing emails, and follow other basic practices.
Ref - Google
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(June 10, 2020)
Increased threat of cyber fraud associated with COVID-19
As the coronavirus global health emergency continues apace, cybercriminals have continued their concerted effort to exploit this crisis for financial gain via cyberattacks and scams tied to COVID-19. In recent weeks, threat actors have ramped up COVID-19 attacks at such an alarming pace, that it prompted the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) to issue a series of alerts warning the business community and the public of the significantly increased cyber threats.
Ref - BankRome
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(June 10, 2020)
Malware based attacks could increase amid COVID-19
The number of banking Trojans and info stealers has gone up with the increase of mostly pandemic-related unemployment, according to a leading provider of cybersecurity solutions. Criminals are using malicious CV and medical leave forms to spread malware. Overall cyber-attacks went up 16% compared to March and April, with an average of more than 158,000 coronavirus-related attacks each week in May.
Ref - OCCRP
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(June 10, 2020)
Organizations’ security priorities amid COVID-19 lockdown
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., has released the findings of a new survey showing how organizations managed their cyber-security during the lockdowns forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, and also listing their security priorities and concerns over the coming months as they move to the ‘new normal.’ Over 86% of respondents said their biggest IT challenge during the pandemic was moving to mass remote working.
Ref - TechnologyForYou
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(June 9, 2020)
Security tips for health care organizations confronting COVID-19 cyber attacks
Gul and Slipsky shared some tips for Health Care Organizations to prevent cyber threats during COVID-19. Consider flagging all incoming messages that originate outside the organization. Keep all software, systems, and hardware current. Install security updates consistently and regularly. Draft and enforce procedures for remote meetings. Use secure and strong passwords. Provide IT with the capacity to track activities on the system: logging capabilities. Automatically barring all communication with malicious domains.
Ref - Poyner Spruill
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(June 10, 2020)
Cybersecurity hygiene amid COVID-19 crisis
In the age of COVID-19, many organizations have implemented changes to enable their employees to work from home. Whilst workers are remotely connecting for business continuity, cybercriminals are working from home too. So, the best starting point to defend against these attacks starts with addressing the weakest part of the security chain, people. Informing and educating the staff on cyber-attacks such as phishing is the best mitigation strategy.
Ref - Mondaq
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(June 10, 2020)
Insurance, finance, and retail are at most risk from cybercrime
An increase in cyber attacks by criminals taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in new structural and operational risks, with insurance, finance, and retail sectors the most targeted sectors in South Africa, according to a recently published cyber threat intelligence report. The most common attacks in South Africa were web-application attacks (66%) and application-specific attacks (27%).
Ref - MeInsuranceReview
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(June 10, 2020)
The COVID-19 cyber threat landscape
COVID-19 has brought about a period of major transition and companies are having to adapt to weather the storm. Many have furloughed staff and partially closed doors, while others have remained operational but with all-new working processes. They may have adopted enterprise-wide remote working or implemented new digital avenues to market, both of which likely required the rapid adoption of technology and a much greater reliance on existing or new digital infrastructure.
Ref - ITProPortal
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(June 10, 2020)
Cybersecurity strategy should have a multi-pronged approach
By now, most countries have imposed a mixed bag of measures to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak. The overarching strategy for dealing with COVID-19 has revolved around four quadrants: prevention, detection, response, and prediction. In cybersecurity, the importance of a holistic strategy that consists of the same quadrants is often discussed. At its core, a good cybersecurity strategy should also take a multi-pronged approach.
Ref - GlobalPrimeNews
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(June 10, 2020)
Cybercrime landscape has changed due to Coronavirus
As the pandemic has developed and moved across the world, the cyber threat ecosystem of related attacks has closely followed suit. Attacks related to Coronavirus initially appeared in Asia before similar attacks occurred in Eastern and subsequently Western Europe. What’s clear is that hackers are hoping to capitalize on public fear. Many instances of cybercrime in the wake of COVID-19 have been designed with this fear in mind.
Ref - SEPE
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(June 10, 2020)
‘Lion’ hit by cyber attack amid Coronavirus pandemic
Cybercrime attacks have skyrocketed globally during COVID-19, fuelled by reduced levels of security as employees home isolate. Now, Lion (Australian beverages giant) has revealed that it experienced a cyber attack on Tuesday morning. The brewer took the precaution of shutting down its IT systems, which has caused some disruption to its suppliers and customers. The firm is working with expert advisors to address the issue.
Ref - DrinksTrade
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(June 10, 2020)
Cybercriminals targeting supply chain systems amid COVID-19 crisis
Cybercriminals employ a variety of ways to penetrate a supplier’s systems. This may include business email compromise which involves interfering with emails, such as falsifying payment details on invoices and using email as a stepping stone. So, content disarm and reconstruction (CDR) can play a part in defending against malicious documents that appear to come from trusted sources.
Ref - ComputerWeekly
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(June 9, 2020)
Life Healthcare sector facing cyber-attack
South Africa’s Life Healthcare said its southern African operation was hit by a cyber-attack affecting its admissions systems, business processing systems, and email servers, but is yet to determine the extent to which data has been compromised. The hospital operator said its patient care was not impacted. Its hospitals and administrative offices continue to function with some delays.
Ref - InfoTechLead
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(June 9, 2020)
Cybersecurity along with remote working at same time
COVID-19 has changed the lifestyle and work style of millions of people across the world. To curb the spread of this pandemic, people are locked down in their houses and forced to adopt the 'new normal' of Work-from-Home. The sudden shift to a remote-work model means that new assets like employees’ personal laptops and phones get introduced into the enterprise IT environment. This influx of personal technology expands the attack surface and presents cybersecurity risks to organizations.
Ref - VarIndia
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(June 9, 2020)
The rising demand for cybersecurity
Panacea Infosec said it plans to raise its headcount by 40-45 percent this year, to meet the rising demand for cybersecurity consulting, auditing, and compliance among businesses in the backdrop of coronavirus pandemic and work-from-home culture. The outbreak of COVID-19 has jeopardized businesses across the world. However, the data and information security industry is proving to be incredibly resilient.
Ref - EconomicTimes
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(June 9, 2020)
Protecting businesses from cyber attacks
A business should take several steps for prevention against Coronavirus-themed cyber attacks: Review policies and procedures to safeguard against potential cyber-attacks; Provide training and support for staff, and make sure staff regularly back up their work; and, Check remote working systems and security devices. These legal obligations are a reminder of the importance of businesses having appropriate cybersecurity policies.
Ref - Financederivative
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(June 9, 2020)
Organization’s security priorities amid COVID-19 lockdown
Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., has released the findings of a new survey showing how organizations managed their cyber-security during the lockdowns forced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 86% of respondents said their biggest IT challenge during the pandemic was moving to mass remote working, and their biggest security concern was maintaining VPN capacity for staff.
Ref - ITNewsOnline
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(June 9, 2020)
Staying ahead of cybercrime during and beyond COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has created the greatest opportunity for systems penetration since the birth of the internet with financial institutions (FIs) in many countries forced into new ways of working. So, financial institutions should reinforce the organization’s information security approach and capabilities as normal risk processes are in danger of being overlooked, as people work in social isolation.
Ref - SC
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(June 9, 2020)
COVID-19 is fuelling cyber attacks
The coronavirus pandemic has fuelled a disturbing rise in the number of cyber-attacks. As COVID-19 pushes the legitimate economy towards recession, the cybercrime economy appears to be surging. Furthermore, the impact of the virus has rapidly reshaped the way business is being done on the Dark Web, as buyers and sellers jump on the opportunity to profit from a significant change in supply and demand.
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(June 9, 2020)
Honda has been hit by a cyberattack amid Coronavirus lockdown
Japanese carmaker Honda has been hit by a cyberattack that disrupted its business in several countries, though it expects the overall impact to be contained. Like other carmakers, Honda has struggled to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts to return to production. It reported deep losses for the fiscal quarter that ended in March, as the damage to the industry from the outbreak hurt sales and crimped production.
Ref - DeccanChronicle
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(June 9, 2020)
Fraud Detection & Prevention Market to rise significantly due to COVID-19 crisis
Research Dive presents a new research report on the COVID-19 Impact on Global Fraud Detection & Prevention Market which explains the effect of coronavirus pandemic on the present as well as the upcoming growth of the market. The emergence of the COVID-19 crisis has given a significant boost to the growth of the global market for the fraud detection & prevention market.
Ref - PRNewswire
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(June 9, 2020)
COVID-19 is giving birth to more cyberattacks
A just-completed Team8 survey revealed that 85 percent of medium- to large-sized businesses are reporting a surge in the cyber attacks. The reason for this is plain as day: cybercriminals have a vast new pool of remote, online workers to target. According to that survey, 70 percent of medium- to large-sized businesses say 75 to 100 percent of their employees are currently working from home.
Ref - SecurityBouLevard
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(June 9, 2020)
Cyber attacks will be continued even after COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic eventually will fade, but not its impact on cybersecurity. The primary reason behind these inevitable threats is the permanence of remote work, which is “new normal.” The support of remote work required heavy reliance on the cloud, as well as online collaborations tools like Zoom. Consequently, the rapid changes exponentially grew the attack surfaces for hackers to exploit.
Ref - ChannelFutures
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(June 9, 2020)
Increased threat of human-operated ransomware associated with COVID-19
To slow the spread of the coronavirus, most businesses across the country have transitioned to remote working arrangements. Recently, Microsoft issued its first-ever targeted ransomware alert regarding the significantly enhanced threat of human-operated ransomware campaigns, which have increased precipitously as cybercriminals seek to exploit the range of security vulnerabilities that exist with remote working.
Ref - JDSupra
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(June 9, 2020)
Cyber-criminals have launched a new phishing scam
Cyber-criminals have launched a new phishing scam designed to steal personal and financial details of self-employed workers using the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) during the COVID-19 outbreak. The scam was uncovered by litigation company Griffin Law and begins with a text message sent to self-employed workers offering a tax rebate purporting to be from HMRC.
Ref - InfoSecurity Magazine
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(June 9, 2020)
Invest in virtual machines to defend against cyberattacks
The coronavirus pandemic and the new work-from-home model has every enterprise thinking about cybersecurity from micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to the big wigs like TCS, Wipro, and Infosys. And, yes, there is a cost to it but the bigger question is how companies manage that cost. So, businesses can save on costs by leveraging assets that are already there in the cloud because such services provide scalability and agility.
Ref - BusinessInsider
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(June 9, 2020)
Security firm announced a free of cost complimentary trial
Inspira Enterprise has announced a free of cost complimentary trial of its state of the art Managed SOC Services (MSSP) to, healthcare, educational and NGOs during the Pandemic situation. This strategic initiative is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility commitment towards offering a safe and secure network across the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ref - ExpressComputer
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(June 9, 2020)
Working from home needs security against cyber attacks
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown have forever changed how people socialize and conduct business. More and more, personal and professional lives will be online. So, phishing, smishing (SMS phishing) and vishing (voice phishing) attacks are all on the rise. The tendency to click on infected emails has increased with the correspondent increase in email traffic, a two-fold impact on the severity of the threat environment.
Ref - Plant
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(June 9, 2020)
Cybersecurity amid Coronavirus pandemic
The new normal has forced many businesses, organizations, and people to operate from home. With businesses operating indoor, this has increased the risk of security breaches and threats which can lead to loss of data, breaches of privacy or holding systems to ransom, and more. As swiftly as, India digitized its working business scenario online, businesses now need to take up ‘online security’ as a key self-responsibility.
Ref - MyMobileIndia
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(June 9, 2020)
Discovering emerging cyber threat associated with Coronavirus
Combined with big data analytics, threat models, advisory-based behavior analytics, and detection rules from the security experts, it can help to uncover if an emerging or unknown threat or a threat actor is attempting to infect an organization. On top of that, continuous risk assessment of an organization’s cybersecurity posture also serves to predict impending cyber issues.
Ref - TechnologyForYou
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(June 9, 2020)
Cybersecurity after COVID-19 crisis ends
COVID-19 has brought not only economic turmoil but a massive increase in cybersecurity dangers. Since February this year, the number of cyber-attacks has skyrocketed, with the average attack costing an organization US$350,000 to US$400,000. Unsurprisingly, statistics from the World Economic Forum indicate that cyber-attacks and data fraud is the third biggest COVID-related business concern, ranked after the global recession and a surge in corporate bankruptcies.
Ref - PeopleMattersGlobal
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(June 9, 2020)
COVID-19 caused a cyber-crime pandemic
It’s only 20 weeks since the first lockdown measures were implemented in Wuhan, in Jan. 2020, but since then the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the entire working culture. The changes were global, rapid, and widespread, compressing several years’ worth of IT changes into just a few weeks. COVID-19 not only caused a health pandemic but a cyber-crime pandemic too.
Ref - Checkpoint
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(June 9, 2020)
Cybersecurity amid COVID-19 pandemic
The world struggling with the unprecedented pandemic in the form of Coronavirus, millions of IT and cybersecurity professionals are going beyond their duties to keep businesses running as they switch to remote working. As working from home becomes the new normal for many businesses and their employees amid multiple restrictions, there has been an exceptional spike in cybersecurity threats and attacks.
Ref - CxoToday
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(June 9, 2020)
Malicious emails are pushing a cyber-crime pandemic
In their early days, cyber-attacks called business email compromise (BEC) typically began with hacking or spoofing the email accounts of CEOs or CFOs then requesting fund transfers to accounts controlled by the criminals. Rather than targeting the companies directly, attacks now target customers, HR departments, suppliers, related accountants, and law firms, and even tax authorities.
Ref - HcaMag
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(June 8, 2020)
A unique perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic
TetherView, the creators of the Digital Bunker, hosted the Third Annual TetherView Cyber Security Summit “Controlling IT Chaos in Post COVID-19 World” bringing together distinguished speakers from the FBI, Oppenheimer, Columbia University, Cyxtera (CFG), and Akamai (AKAM). The Summit brought a unique perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing challenges.
Ref - Aithority
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(June 8, 2020)
Preparing for the new era in cybersecurity
The global coronavirus pandemic has added an enormous strain on employees’ ability to work remotely. In many cases, the ease at which workers usually connect to the data and resources they need via mobile, laptop, or otherwise has slowed as consumption of remote services has increased. Productivity and efficiency challenges aside, attitudes towards working from home may drastically change due to the impact of COVID-19.
Ref - GDPR
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(June 8, 2020)
The use of digital tools during the COVID-19 crisis
The use of digital tools during the COVID-19 crisis offers 3 lessons. First is to keep essential organizations safe, second is to learn from the great Work-from-Home experiment and last is to understand that mistrust hampers crisis response. A Great Reset will require new institutions and business models, and new digital technologies to build them. For all those working to design this future, let’s start by building digital trust.
Ref - WeForum
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(June 8, 2020)
COVID-19-themed fraud and scams
The current global pandemic has led to an increase in cybercrime and fraud, with ever more sophisticated tactics being deployed by those looking to take advantage of the vulnerable and profit from illegal activities. Organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO), the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are sounding alarms and warning the public about the different types of fraud risk.
Ref - AcaComplianceGroup
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(June 8, 2020)
Phishers hiding COVID-19 malware in CVs
Cyber-criminals are taking advantage of the evolving jobs market and employee health situation under COVID-19 to disguise malware in various emailed documents. The phishing campaigns spotted by Check Point over recent days center around spoofed CVs and medical leave forms. Unemployment in the US remains at levels not seen since the Great Depression of the 1930s, with close to 40 million currently without jobs due to the pandemic.
Ref - UrbanNetwork
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(June 8, 2020)
The maritime sector is exposed to cyber attacks amid Coronavirus
The maritime and offshore sectors are coming under considerable pressure from cybercriminals since the outbreak of coronavirus with a 400% increase in attempted hacks since February 2020, according to cybersecurity specialist Naval Dome. There has been an increase in malware, ransomware, and phishing emails exploiting the COVID-19 crisis. Companies are stretched thin and this is benefitting the hacker.
Ref - Nautiliusint
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(June 8, 2020)
Cyber attacks are increasing as employees working from home
A remote workforce on COVID-19 lockdown has made many organizations more exposed to cyberattacks. Cybersecurity insurers have realized that the risk equation has changed dramatically for their customers, and they’re closely scrutinizing companies’ security arrangements and existing insurance policies. As a result, some enterprise risk managers may soon find themselves paying noticeably more for cyber insurance protection and turning to their CISOs to find out why.
Ref - Mimecast
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(June 8, 2020)
Knowing cyber vulnerabilities amid a pandemic
Whilst the Government recently warned about cybercriminals specifically targeting organizations involved in the pandemic response (such as healthcare organizations), the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned that individuals and businesses of all sizes are at risk. Not only might staff members be targeted, thereby putting business systems and information at risk, but remote working systems are also vulnerable to attack.
Ref - TechNative
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(June 8, 2020)
Rise in cyber-attacks on the global shipping industry
Israel-based cybersecurity firm Naval Dome said that there has been a 400% rise in the number of cyberattacks targeting the global shipping industry since February, Splash 247 reports. An increase in malware, ransomware, and phishing emails exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic is the primary reason behind the rise.
Ref - Business Insurance
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(June 8, 2020)
Reuniting security community amid COVID-19
At a time when social distancing is becoming the new norm, a new online conference aims to bring the global security community together again. This past weekend saw the first edition of OWASP Chapters All Day, a 24-hour, non-stop security conference conducted from the safety of members’ homes. Issue such as increased adoption of remote access was cited among the sector’s many challenges.
Ref - PortSwiggger
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(June 8, 2020)
Privacy is a security challenge amid COVID-19 pandemic
Tracing applications help to monitor and alert healthcare authorities about potential encounters with COVID-19, but they also bring challenges like privacy. Privacy may be easily compromised in the absence of rights checks and controls in such contact tracing applications. To avoid compromising a user’s privacy, contact tracing applications should consider privacy principles such as “privacy by design” and “privacy by default.”
Ref - VantageAsia
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(June 8, 2020)
Maritime and offshore energy sectors vulnerable to cyber-attack due to Coronavirus crisis
The Coronavirus pandemic is leaving the maritime and offshore energy sectors vulnerable to cyber-attack, with Naval Dome citing a massive 400% increase in attempted hacks since February 2020. The global crisis and social distancing measures are preventing OEM technicians from flying out to ships and rigs to upgrade and service critical OT systems, resulting in operators circumventing established security protocols, leaving them open to the cyber attack.
Ref - SeaNews
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(June 8, 2020)
APAC employees are not protected while working from home
More employees are working from home amidst the global pandemic, but a majority do so without proper training on how to ensure they can keep their organization safe. More than half are using their personal devices to carry out work tasks. Around 54% of these employees believe that their organizations are more likely to experience a serious cyberattack during the COVID-19 pandemic than they would before the outbreak.
Ref - ZDNet
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(June 8, 2020)
Working parents facing cybersecurity threats
Work-from-home habits, including password re-use and letting family members use corporate devices, are putting critical business systems and sensitive data at risk. A survey, which aimed to gauge the state of security in today’s expanded remote work environment, found that 77% of remote employees have been using unmanaged, insecure devices such as personal laptops and phones to access corporate systems.
Ref - LiveMint
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(June 8, 2020)
The number of data breaches increased by 50% in Australia amid Coronavirus crisis
New research from Accenture has revealed four-fifths (80%) of Australian companies believe that their cybersecurity investments are failing, whilst the number of breaches increased by 50% in Australia from 2018 to 2019. These findings, coupled with the acceleration of cyber threats due to COVID-19, is accelerating the threat landscape and putting extra pressure on security functions.
Ref - DevDiscourse
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(June 8, 2020)
COVID-19-themed cyber threats spreading like a virus
Businesses of all sizes have transferred to remote working to protect their employees while continuing to serve their customers. They have moved the bulk of their activities to the digital world and thereby, increased the risk of cyberattacks. The challenge is two-fold. Firstly, how to secure new remote working practices. Secondly, how businesses can ensure protection from attackers exploiting the uncertainty of the situation.
Ref - ITWeb
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(June 8, 2020)
Securing IoTs amid COVID-19 pandemic
In the fight against COVID-19, technology innovations are steadily making a difference to healthcare systems. The pace of innovation in the Internet of Things (IoT) systems, in particular, to track infections, detect potential carriers, and remotely monitor health conditions are now being used and developed all over the world. However, the use of those tools to manage the crisis raises significant questions about security, data collection, and protecting the privacy of citizens and communities.
Ref - CXOToday
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(June 8, 2020)
Understanding the changing landscape of cybercrime for better security
The recent Coronavirus outbreak changed the cyber landscape at a very fast pace. Every thirty-nine seconds a business falls victim to a ransomware attack and many businesses will be at the hands of cybercriminals in a very short time. That’s how serious an issue it is to be able to understand the shifting landscape of cybercrime, specifically the constant changes to the different risks that can affect business.
Ref - SCMagazineUK
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(June 8, 2020)
Cybersecurity investments 'failing’ according to Australian companies
The acceleration of cyber threats and an increase in risk profile due to COVID-19 has hit the Australian cybersecurity industry hard, with many-losing faith in the industry, according to new research. 80% of Australian companies believe their cybersecurity investments are ‘failing’, according to a new report from Accenture, meanwhile, there has been a 50% increase in breaches in Australia from 2018 to 2019.
Ref - ITBrief
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(June 8, 2020)
Cybercriminals are stealing unemployment benefits
Cybercriminals are seizing on a surge in job losses to steal unemployment benefits from Americans nationwide. This complicates an already tough situation for millions of financially strapped Americans and overwhelmed state unemployment offices. In some cases, security experts say the new processes, added workload, and outdated systems may have made it easier for criminals to act. Fraudsters wait for such opportunities to exploit them.
Ref -NBCNewYork
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(June 8, 2020)
Over 300 COVID-19-themed malware discovered leveraging public cloud environments
Researchers at Unit 42, the global threat intelligence team of cybersecurity solutions company Palo Alto Networks, identified more than 300 malware samples taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Network traffic from all known Prisma Cloud environments was queried using 20 suspicious IP addresses and domains, and a total of 453,074 unique network connections were identified between March 1 and April 7, 2020.
Ref - BackEndNews
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(June 8, 2020)
Cybercriminals Targeted Millions of WordPress Websites amid Coronavirus pandemic
Amid Coronavirus pandemic, a massive number of WordPress accounts and websites were victimized in recent days as part of a horrific cyber attack with the purpose of obtaining credentials and other sensitive personal data. The hackers who were involved in the attack were attempting to download a specific file named wp-config.php from WordPress websites as they contain crucial information like credentials.
Ref - PhoneWorld
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(June 7, 2020)
COVID-19 come up with new cybersecurity threats for universities
The rapid move to online teaching and learning as a means to curtail the spread of COVID-19 has exposed African universities to a greater risk of cybercrime. Without proper protection, it leaves the Learning Management Systems susceptible to denial-of-service attacks. In addition, the involvement of African universities and institutions in coronavirus research makes them a target by nation-state actors.
Ref - UniversityWorldNews
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(June 7, 2020)
India is among the top five most attacked countries with cyberattacks during the lockdown
India is among the top five most attacked countries in the region throughout the quarter amid COVID-19 lockdown. The country attracted attacks of relatively high quality (as compared to other regions and last year). Most of the inbound cyber attacks on India have come from North Korea based threat actors. The huge spike in attacks on banking and financial services could be attributed to attackers based in North Korea.
Ref - FinancialExpress
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(June 7, 2020)
The rise in Coronavirus-themed cyber attacks
The number of cyberattacks reported in Switzerland during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic was up to three times higher than normal. Figures from the Swiss National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), reported in the NZZ am Sonntag, show that cases in April were over 350 per week, well above the norm (100-150). Cyber-attacks often come in such waves, especially during a “special event” like the coronavirus pandemic.
Ref - SwissInfo
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(June 7, 2020)
Coronavirus become an opportunity for scammers
Cybersecurity experts say that the pandemic-related scams are the hottest trend in cyber attacks, as fraudsters try to take advantage of the unease and panic. Ransomware attacks have grown by 20 percent globally during the pandemic, March, and April, compared to January and February 2020. Scammers are targeting victims by sending out text messages, emails appearing to be sent from a legitimate company.
Ref - New Indian Express
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(June 7, 2020)
Cybersecurity for remote working amid Coronavirus pandemic
The global pandemic has resulted in increased cyber-attack where threat actors are not sparing any moment to be on top of their game plan to exploit any business or industry. The COVID-19 has bought situations like work from home across the world, which means systems are now hot targets of criminals through various phishing email schemes and other attacks which can target WI-fi and internet connections.
Ref - DynamicCISO
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(June 7, 2020)
Cyber Pandemic is could be a reality due to Coronavirus
For more than a decade, security leaders predicted that a “Cyber Pearl Harbor” or “Cyber 9/11” was coming that would dramatically change society. Now it could become reality due to the Coronavirus pandemic. COVID-19 shows that the world is at great risk of disruption by pandemics, cyberattacks, or environmental tipping points. The world should prepare for a COVID-like global cyber pandemic
Ref - GovTech
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(June 7, 2020)
Businesses need to be protected due to remote working
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown have forever changed how people socialize and conduct business. More and more personal and professional lives will be online. Paradoxically, office towers sit empty. However, the amount of traffic in the virtual world continues to increase exponentially. Physical borders are closed, but the virtual ones remain wide open and relatively undefended.
Ref - TheConversation
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(June 6, 2020)
Governments looking for cybersecurity funding in next COVID-19 package
As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced tribal governments to move their governmental services online, the need to protect tribal data and ensure the integrity of the services that they provide is more important than ever. The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has urged Congress to establish a 10 percent set-aside for tribal governments in cybersecurity funding available for state and local governments.
Ref - Mondaq
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(June 6, 2020)
Solutions for remote work ecosystems for enterprises
To streamline the post-lockdown office operations, HashCash (a global software company) is helping enterprises to augment their remote working system through scalable digital solutions. The USA-based company is offering services to reform existing work processes of respective businesses through augmented digital solutions making it remote compatible to cope with social distancing and other COVID-norms.
Ref - Darkreading
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(June 6, 2020)
Cybercriminals are taking advantage of COVID-19 pandemic
In an effort to preserve cash and keep the lights on, IT administrators are getting by with the data protection software and hardware they’ve had in place for years, letting modernization slip down on the priority list. And that could be a big mistake because cybercriminals are using this unprecedented situation as an opportunity to attack and hold data hostage. Organizations must act quickly to protect one of their most valuable assets: their data.
Ref - CIO
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(June 5, 2020)
Crypsis issues 2020 Incident Response and Data Breach Report amid COVID-19
The Crypsis Group, a digital forensics firm, has announced the release of its 2020 Incident Response and Data Breach report. The report was derived from over 1,000 engagements conducted by The Crypsis Group experts and was developed to provide deep insights into real-world cybersecurity risks while offering detailed security "Pro Tips" in each risk area to help organizations defend against a wide range of threats.
Ref - SecurityInfoWatch
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(June 5, 2020)
Impact of Coronavirus on Cyber Attack Simulation Tools market
The novel COVID-19 pandemic has put the world on a standstill, affecting major operations, leading to an industrial catastrophe. A report “Cyber Attack Simulation Tools Market” released by Garner Insights contains a thorough analysis of the pre and post-pandemic market scenarios. The Cyber Attack Simulation Tools report consists of streamlined financial data obtained from various research sources to provide specific and trustworthy analysis.
Ref - ColeofDuty
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(June 5, 2020)
Cyber risks of COVID-19 pandemic
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations had to rapidly pivot from work in the office to a fully remote structure. Some were well prepared and accommodated this shift, while others were scrambling due to increased cybersecurity risks. The concern for insurance companies was how easily these companies were able to transition and whether they were able to do it securely. Employees tend to be the weakest link, especially with the added disruption and distractions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ref - InsuranceBusinessMag
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(June 5, 2020)
Hackers are using VPN impersonation to steal Office 365 credentials
A phishing attack is using VPN impersonation to trick people into revealing their Microsoft Office 365 credentials. With so many people working from home, VPN use has increased considerably. Most companies rely on this sort of technology to let employees connect to the corporate infrastructure safely, so it stands to reason that bad actors would seek to use it as an attack vector. Microsoft Office 365 credentials are highly valued on the Dark Web.
Ref - HotforSecurity
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(June 5, 2020)
The UK launches a specialized cyber regiment
In an attempt to protect critical systems and networks of the Royal Navy and Air Force, the UK Armed Forces have just announced the launch of a specialized Cyber Regiment, formally christened at a ceremony in Blandford on June 1. A part of the Army’s push to improve its response to the surge of digital threats, the 13th Signal Regiment consists of 250 men and women dedicated to the UK’s defensive cyber capabilities.
Ref - HotforSecurity
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(June 5, 2020)
Cyberattacks increase amid COVID-19 outbreak
The Department of Health and Human Services has reported an increase in cybersecurity breaches in hospitals and healthcare providers’ networks which may be due to COVID-19. Between the months of February and May of this year, there have been 132 reported breaches, according to the HHS. This is an almost 50% increase in reported breaches during the same time last year. The increase in hacking could be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ref - Emrindustry
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(June 5, 2020)
Intelligence services will aim at COVID-19 research
Christopher Krebs, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and a 2020 Wash100 Award winner, said he expects “every intelligence service” to home in and steal COVID-19-related data and research. The Chinese have been one of the more brazen in terms of their approach, but others are in the game, too. He also shared his insights on ransomware attacks and discussed the “destructive” nature of cyber attacks.
Ref - ExecutiveGov
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(June 5, 2020)
Banks are facing cyber threat outbreak during COVID-19 pandemic
The financial sector is the most secure industry in the world but the COVID-19 outbreak kept attackers busy as the sector saw a 238% increase in cyberattacks and a nine-fold increase in ransomware attacks since the beginning of February to the end of April. VMware Carbon Black’s third annual finance-focused report shows that 80% of surveyed financial institutions reported an increase in cyberattacks over the past 12 months, a 13% increase over 2019.
Ref - Frontier Enterprise
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(June 5, 2020)
COVID19 themed cyberattacks escalated exponentially around the world
As the number of worldwide internet users continues to rise, so too is the amount of cybercrime. The main method of outreach is via phishing emails, containing messages of fear or false financial promises, which often demand an immediate response from recipients. Hackers are also targeting victims through social media, issuing fake warnings that state: “Your account will be deleted due to fraudulent use within 24 hours if you don’t act now!”
Ref - EuroNews
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(June 5, 2020)
UAE authorities tackle rising cybercrime during COVID-19 pandemic
In April, the UAE launched its first national fraud awareness campaign, in light of increased use of digital banking services during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the wider phone fraud and digital-scam arena of late, some residents have also fallen prey to so-called SIM-jacking, identity theft, and data privacy hacks. So, in a bid to protect the UAE’s IT infrastructure from cyber risks and violations, plus improve cyber safety for residents, the UAE’s National Computer Emergency Response Team was established.
Ref - EuroNews
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(June 5, 2020)
Trucking is a top target for cyberattacks
As hackers play on the distractions and fears prompted by the COVID-19 crisis, trucking industry experts expect to see a surge in cyberattacks against commercial carriers. If a hacker successfully executes a ransomware attack, they can extract a higher payment than they’d get targeting small and midsize companies in other, lower dollar industries.
Ref - FleeTowner
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(June 5, 2020)
NHS under attack since COVID-19, GCHQ boss says
UK’s cybersecurity agencies have seen increased targeting of the health sector. The NHS has been increasingly targeted by cyberattacks since the coronavirus outbreak. Although the attacks were not any more sophisticated than previous hacking attempts, there were clear efforts being made to access sensitive data linked to the UK’s response to the pandemic, such as vaccine research for Coronavirus.
Ref - Techerati
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(June 5, 2020)
COVID-19-themed threat reports are becoming the new normal
Since the Coronavirus outbreak, cybercriminals have continuously leveraged this global crisis by focusing on cyberattacks designed to compromise victims’ data and security. Now, the Bitdefender threat intelligence data on Coronavirus-related cyber threats between March and April reveals that COVID-19-themed threat reports are becoming the new norm. This research related to COVID-19 will help to better understand the evolution and impact of these attacks.
Ref - SANS
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(June 5, 2020)
Top priorities for CISO amid COVID -19 crisis
From the technical perspective, the key security responsibilities of a CISO revolve around predicting, identifying, protecting, responding to, and recovering from cyber threats. But at the same time, the CISO is also responsible for looking after governance, compliance, audits, risk management, identity and access management, legal, and HR. They also have responsibility for the selection, training, and formation of a dedicated team of threat intelligence analysts for analyzing and predicting threats and vulnerabilities, especially when the risks have increased multi-fold times during the coronavirus epidemic.
Ref - ECCouncil
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(June 5, 2020)
Protecting SMBs from COVID-19 themed cyber attacks
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are a major target of malware, phishing, viruses, and other cybersecurity threats so much so that 61% of data breaches affect small businesses. Cybercriminals go after small businesses for a number of reasons. Many small or medium-sized business owners are faced with endless decisions. Cybersecurity often ends up falling low on the list of priorities, leaving holes and vulnerabilities in their networks.
Ref - AnalyticsWeek
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(June 5, 2020)
Cybersecurity difficulties amid COVID-19 pandemic
As the coronavirus continues to spread, the possibility for more disruption of day-to-day operations grows. For those who have migrated their workforce away from the office, working remotely without compromising security is critical and challenging. According to Global Workplace Analytics, 50% of U.S. workers are now working from home full time but cybersecurity concerns are confronting organizations, 48% of which according to Slack, are struggling to enable a Work Remote Solution.
Ref - AccessData
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(June 5, 2020)
Effective cybersecurity policies after Coronavirus pandemic
Cybersecurity is facing tremendous challenges and leaders are under tremendous pressure to ensure that threat actors remain at bay. Cybersecurity leaders must take stronger and more strategic leadership roles within their businesses during the crisis to ensure effective business continuity. Cybersecurity leaders are taking a more effective path or are forced to adapt new working modules by COVID-19, which changing the scenario like work from home.
Ref - DynamicCISO
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(June 5, 2020)
Indian CISOs can use machine learning to fight cyberattacks
As the world gets swallowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, cyberattacks have risen to become a critical area for all tech-enabled companies around the globe. In the future, there will be a turn in India’s cybersecurity industry towards a risk-based strategy to vulnerability management which applies machine learning analytics to correlate vulnerability severity, threat actor activity, and asset criticality to classify and manage issues posturing the biggest business risk.
Ref - AnalyticsIndianMag
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(June 5, 2020)
Cybersecurity is a big challenge for organizations
Too many enterprise leaders disconnect from cybersecurity because they see it as a tech problem and kick it off to the CISO. Too many CISOs can’t communicate the tech problems in business language the C-suite understands, so the importance of investing in cybersecurity gets lost in translation. Companies are going to do a much better job of prioritizing their key risks based on what's mission-critical. And then ultimately making a better investment that makes them safer over time.
Ref - CSHUB
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(June 5, 2020)
Maritime Cyberattacks increased up to 400% due to Coronavirus
Cybersecurity consultancy Naval Dome has reported a 400 percent increase in attempted hacks since February 2020. The primary cause is an increase in malware, ransomware, and phishing emails attempting to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic, but Naval Dome says that global travel restrictions, social distancing measures, and the economic recession are beginning to cut into companies' self-defense capabilities.
Ref - TurkisMaritime
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(June 5, 2020)
North Korea is carrying out cyber-attacks against the U.S. amid Coronavirus
According to several reports, North Korea is steering a massive malicious campaign against the United States and other worldwide countries. In April, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Defense, and the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released three reports on malware attacks carrying out from the government of North Korea. The Treasury, the State Department, Homeland Security, and FBI led it with an advisory last month.
Ref - PlanetNews
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(June 5, 2020)
Cyberattacks against connected cars risen up to 99% amid COVID-19 crisis
Cyber attacks on connected cars have increased by 99% in the last year, according to a new study by Uswitch. The online and telephone comparison and switching service have identified four main ways that vehicles can be compromised, ranging from weaknesses in apps and theft of personal data to keyless car theft and even taking control of a vehicle remotely. Around 67% of all new cars sold are currently connected in some way.
Ref - AmOnline
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(June 4, 2020)
COVID-19 related malware attacks drop in May
Covid-19 related cyber-attacks during May declined by 7% compared to April, while conventional malware attacks increased by 16% compared to March and April, as many businesses resumed operations. Use of malicious CV and medical leave forms to spread banking trojans and info stealers also increased during May, cybersecurity firm CheckPoint reports. In May, the security firm detected more than 158,000 coronavirus-related attacks on an average each week, a decrease of 7% since April.
Ref - LiveMint
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(June 4, 2020)
Small Indian businesses are facing at a huge cybersecurity challenge
Indian startups and small businesses are staring at a huge cybersecurity problem and as is the case with such an issue. Cybersecurity experts have attributed the rise in security breaches and data leaks to the distributed working environment. The WEF has noted cyberattacks and data fraud as the most likely technological risk in the aftermath of Covid-19. This growth in cybersecurity risks has increased demand for cybersecurity policy and regulations.
Ref - INC42
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(June 4, 2020)
Cyberattacks increased during COVID-19 pandemic
The Department of Health and Human Services has reported an increase in cybersecurity breaches in hospitals and healthcare providers' networks which may be due to COVID-19. Between the months of February and May of this year, there have been 132 reported breaches, according to the HHS. This is an almost 50% increase in reported breaches during the same time last year. The increase in hacking could be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ref - HealthCareFinanceNews
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(June 4, 2020)
Machine-learning to fight against coronavirus pandemic
Cybercriminals are exploiting the coronavirus pandemic to significantly expand their malicious activities against individuals and organizations. Amid the deluge of Trojans, ransomware, and phishing attacks, cybersecurity professionals are turning to machine learning to stay on top of the situation. In many cases, employees have become almost entirely reliant on the Internet for work, while schools have shifted to an online-only footing to educate children.
Ref - Datanami
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(June 4, 2020)
Healthcare sector cybersecurity amid COVID-19
As COVID-19 pandemic continues to damage world health, political, economical and social systems, there’s one more imperceptible threat emerging in the digital space - the threat of cyberattacks which are preying on our increased dependency on digital tools. As health care organizations are battling with this pandemic, they are also facing intensified cybersecurity threats from cybercriminals looking to take advantage of the crisis caused by the outbreak.
Ref - SouthAsiaJournal
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(June 4, 2020)
Cybersecurity aspects after COVID-19 period
As COVID-19 reshapes social interactions and transforms our work environments to more digital settings, the threat landscape in the cyberspace is also evolving with new vulnerabilities emerging. With the emergence of a new wave of internet users from rural and semi-urban India, digital financial inclusion initiatives are most susceptible to data breaches that involve consumer frauds such as phishing and skimming.
Ref - FintechNews
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(June 4, 2020)
Criminals are using a malicious CV to spread banking Trojans
At the end of May, CNN reported that more than 40 million Americans have filed for first-time unemployment benefits since the coronavirus pandemic put the US economy on hold in March. Because of high unemployment rates, people became vulnerable to scams and phishing attacks involving relief package payments. Now, criminals are using malicious CV and medical leave forms to spread banking Trojans and info stealers.
Ref - CheckPoint
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(June 4, 2020)
Cybercrime evolution amid Covid-19 crisis
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to evolve, cybercriminals are exploiting this crisis globally for their own objectives. While there may not be an increase in the levels of cybercrime, there has certainly been a change in direction. This article will explore the shift in cybercrime that is occurring due to Covid-19, along with the methods used by the cybercriminals and the resultant legal implications for businesses.
Ref - TheStudentLawyer
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(June 4, 2020)
Cybersecurity challenges amid Coronavirus pandemic
Due to COVID-19, an unprecedented spike in demand led to bandwidth constraints, and network congestion around the world is seen. And WFH led to a whole new slew of cybersecurity concerns. Cybersecurity has always been a concern with remote work. But with so many organizations rushing to set up employees at home, often within a matter of days, it was bound to leave some gaps in security. So now, as all settle in for the long haul, it might be a good time to revisit those WFH practices to make sure security is up to par.
Ref - AllStream
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(June 4, 2020)
COVID-19 themed phishing attacks
The COVID-19 pandemic is unfortunately seeing more and more scammers coming out of the woodwork. Now, the most recent scam exploiting our heightened vulnerability surrounding COVID-19 is a phishing attack that uses an Excel attachment as bait. The email is disguised as a communication from the Coronavirus Research Center of John Hopkins University, a well-known medical organization in the US.
Ref - VanillaPlus
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(June 4, 2020)
CyberPeace Institute comes to the aid of healthcare providers
CyberPeace Institute comes to the aid of healthcare providers around the world. The organization launched the Cyber4Healthcare project, the task of which is to help healthcare organizations increase cyber resistance through the services provided by the partners of the initiative. Any hospitals and other medical institutions involved in the fight against COVID-19 can contact the CyberPeace Institute for free help in strengthening their cyber defense.
Ref - BelinSoft
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(June 4, 2020)
NATO condemning cyber attacks amid Coronavirus crisis
NATO has issued a statement condemning cyber-attacks perpetrated in the midst of the ongoing global health pandemic. In particular, the organization slammed cyber-criminals who chose to target essential healthcare services, including hospitals caring for those infected with COVID-19 and medical research institutes trying desperately to find a cure for the novel coronavirus. The statement was issued in English, French, and Russian.
Ref - InfoSecurity Magazine
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(June 4, 2020)
BayLfD publishes best practice to prevent cyber attacks
The Bavarian data protection authority ('BayLfD') issued, on?3 June 2020, a best practice checklist ('the Checklist') to prevent cyber attacks in medical institutions in the context of the COVID-19 ('Coronavirus') pandemic. In particular, the Checklist provides an overview of practical cybersecurity measures for medical facilities, including a special section for laboratories, in accordance with the applicable legal data protection regulations.?
Ref - DataGuidance
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(June 4, 2020)
Cybersecurity is one the biggest challenge amid Coronavirus
One of the challenges in the current operating model is cybersecurity. Both the attack surface (the sum of all possible risk exposures) and the frequency of attacks has increased in the past two months. Google has reported a 350% increase in the number of phishing attacks, many of them playing on people’s COVID-related fears, for example, suggesting that users have been identified as coming into contact with infected people.
Ref - Funds Europe
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(June 4, 2020)
Greater cybersecurity standards needed for COVID-19 pandemic
The Coronavirus pandemic is leaving the maritime and offshore energy sectors vulnerable to cyber-attack, with Naval Dome citing a massive 400% increase in attempted hacks since February 2020. While an increase in malware, ransomware, and phishing emails exploiting the COVID-19 crisis is the primary reason behind the spike, Naval Dome furthers that travel restrictions, social distancing measures, and economic recession are beginning to bite into a company’s ability to sufficiently protect itself.
Ref - AJOT
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(June 4, 2020)
COVID accelerated the cyber adoption in India
The new normal has forced many businesses, organizations, and people to operate from home. With businesses operating indoor, this has increased the risk of security breaches and threats which can lead to loss of data, breaches of privacy or holding systems to ransom, and more. As swiftly as, India digitized its working business scenario online, businesses now need to take up ‘online security’ as a key self-responsibility.
Ref - CXOToday
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(June 4, 2020)
Mobile phishing attacks skyrocket amid Coronavirus crisis
Along with other retailers big and small, Apple Stores have been subject to looting by opportunists amid the ongoing protests around the United States. In response, Apple has again closed all of its stores in the US. Stores had only recently reopened after closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It appears that the stolen iPhones don’t work and may even be tracked by Apple or authorities.
Ref - Cloudsek
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(June 4, 2020)
COVID-19 boosting demand for cybersecurity
As the Coronavirus pandemic is reshaping the business world and boosting online retailers and streaming services, another corner of the digital economy is thriving at least as much: cybersecurity. Cybercriminals are increasingly trying to exploit the weaknesses of the new digital universe where millions of people log on to work from home computers. That’s boosting demand for defense against all types of attacks like ransomware or data theft.
Ref - BloombergQuint
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(June 4, 2020)
A new approach to reduce insuring cyber risk
As digitalization grows, cyber risks pose serious threats to businesses and consumers alike. However, the precautions taken to deal with these threats are often insufficient. More than 80% of the sampled firms have at least one vulnerability, and these firms were more than twice as likely to experience an incident compared to firms without vulnerabilities. Reducing vulnerabilities is key to dealing with cyberattacks.
Ref - Voxeu
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(June 3, 2020)
Ransomware attacks on the rise due to home working
Remote working is now being enforced, with organizations being told to keep all their workforces at home wherever possible. Remote working has its advantages, but unfortunately, a sharp increase in the number of ransomware cases on the rise since the enforcement of the new remote working rules. Employees worldwide are working under a completely different set of parameters.
Ref - TechNative
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(June 3, 2020)
Cybersecurity before or after COVID?19 pandemic
COVID?19 pandemic is causing massive amounts of disruption the world over. Governments have been issuing Orders and passing Legislation to restrict in-person contact and enforce social distancing. Some operations that have been allowed to continue have chosen to close or work remotely from the workplace as much as possible. This means that people are now attempting to "carry on business" remotely from their homes.
Ref - Mondaq
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(June 3, 2020)
Staying protected while working from home
To stay protected while working from, employees must understand the threats, and the organization must release clear guidance. All business leaders should ensure that any company-owned devices are equipped with the best security capabilities. This includes the following; Endpoint protection, ability to put a block on malware, exploits, and ability to connect securely to a business-owned cloud.
Ref - SAFR
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(June 3, 2020)
Malware attacks increasing due to Coronavirus pandemic
Coronavirus-themed campaigns have resulted in a surge in malware threats over recent months. Cybercriminals have preyed on the confusion, fear, and uncertainty surrounding the global coronavirus pandemic to give fresh impetus to often well-established malware strains. Exploit-ridden websites and phishing emails were the main reason for the increase in malware activity.
Ref - PortsSwigger
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(June 3, 2020)
Cybersecurity investments are required during COVID-19 pandemic
The 2020 FTI Consulting Resilience Barometer, which polled more than 2,000 respondents from large companies across all G20 countries, reported that companies in the region are suffering cyber-attacks and falling victim to ransomware more than global averages (33% vs. 27% for overall attacks). While most leaders in the region are aware of the risks - 84% surveyed believe they have cybersecurity gaps.
Ref - FTIConsulting
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(June 3, 2020)
Cybersecurity risks associated with COVID-19
Bad actors are always looking for an opportunity to exploit vulnerabilities for their own benefit, something that is especially apparent in the significant increase in phishing scams capitalizing on the current crisis. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) identified a significant uptick in COVID-19-related fraud attempts that strive to take advantage of people’s sense of fear and urgency to exploit critical data.
Ref - SCMagazineUK
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(June 3, 2020)
Cyberattacks on healthcare sector surging amid COVID-19
As the global healthcare sector battles the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the number of cyberattacks targeting it has surged. The current pandemic has exacerbated the situation, expanded the spectrum of the threat and target list, and brought many basic vulnerabilities that stakeholders have ignored to the surface, making healthcare organizations much more vulnerable.
Ref - MedicalDevice
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(June 3, 2020)
COVID-19 theme cyber risks around the world
Over the past few weeks, Deloitte CTI has traced a wide range of cyberattacks related directly to COVID-19. As consistently reported, they assessed with high confidence that the Coronavirus pandemic has not resulted in any observable changes to threat actor tactics, techniques, and procedures. What has changed, however, is the level of risk to which organizations are now exposed.
Ref - Deloitte
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(June 3, 2020)
Cyber Attacks related to Coronavirus pandemic
It’s not news that cybercriminals leverage panic, doubt, and sometimes even go a step further and do recon on a target before crafting that enticing and urgent email, all in the hopes of increasing the possibility that a victim will open an email and fall prey to their efforts. Most of these attacks are being delivered via email, so typically they are mass spam campaigns. However, some are very targeted attacks, along with some accidental and planned DDoS attacks as well.
Ref - Fortinet
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(June 3, 2020)
Pakistan facing increased cyber harassment complaints amid COVID-19 lockdown
A Pakistani rights body said it registered a 189 percent increase in cyber-harassment complaints during the countrywide lockdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The Digital Rights Foundation said the complaints were registered with its Cyber Harassment Helpline. The helpline reported a combined 136 complaints of cyber harassment in March and April during the lockdown.
Ref - WIONews
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(June 3, 2020)
The COVID19 is most prominent security trend
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is the most prominent trend in cybersecurity for 2020, according to Infosecurity Magazine's latest State of Cybersecurity Report. As outlined in a session at the Infosecurity Europe Virtual Conference, in the annual report, which this year surveyed 75 people including 25 cyber-practitioners, 25 people working in academia, and 25 venture capitalists and entrepreneurs.
Ref - InfoSecurity Magazine
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(June 3, 2020)
Data and financial loss is the biggest cyber fear amid Coronavirus
US householders confined to their home and spending more time online fear the threat of data and financial loss due to a cyber-attack above concerns about the risks their children face while online. As COVID-19 grips the world, more than 5,000 consumers across five countries in a bid to understand how perceptions, priorities, and general knowledge of online security are changing in these unprecedented times.
Ref - Irdeto
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(June 3, 2020)
Sens. proposed bill for COVID-19 Contact Tracing apps privacy regulation
Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, and Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, recently introduced privacy legislation designed to protect the data collected, used, and maintained by COVID-19 contact tracing apps and other commercial online exposure notification systems, while establishing enforcement provisions. Coronavirus Contact Tracing apps poses serious privacy and security risks.
Ref - HealthITSecurity
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(June 3, 2020)
COVID-19 now becomes the biggest opportunity for cybercriminals
In a new report by Check Point Research has made public startling figures on cyberattacks built to take advantage of the novel coronavirus pandemic. In the three weeks leading up to 12 May, the company recorded around 192,000 coronavirus-related cyber attacks, a staggering 30% increase. The April-May period also saw 20,000 new coronavirus-related domains on the internet, 17% of these were malicious or suspicious, according to the report.
Ref - LiveMint
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(June 3, 2020)
Cybersecurity evolved due to Coronavirus pandemic
COVID-19 pandemic has pushed organizations across the globe to adapt scaled remote and digital ways of working. As working environments expand beyond the traditional perimeter, information security teams can no longer rely on existing practices and capabilities against the new threats that permeate in the age of the new normal. Now more than ever, security leaders need to bolster their knowledge and capabilities around cybersecurity best practices.
Ref - TahawulTech
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(June 3, 2020)
Digital violations are thriving amid Coronavirus pandemic
Digital rights violations proliferated in Central and South-East Europe during the coronavirus pandemic, with over half of them involving propaganda, disinformation or the publication of unverified information, monitoring by BIRN has shown. From January 26 to May 26, BIRN collected information about 163 cases of breaches of digital rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, North Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia.
Ref - BalkanInsight
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(June 3, 2020)
Ensuring cybersecurity while remote working
Now, while working from home, several safety standards have to be borne in mind, especially when employees are using their home computers that have turned out to be their work computer. it’s important for employees working remotely to maintain a security mindset. Thus, organizations are taking efforts to constantly create cybersecurity awareness amongst their employees as often people are the weakest link in the chain.
Ref - ExpressComputer
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(June 3, 2020)
Global Network Security Firewall market amid Coronavirus
The global Network Security Firewall market is experiencing steady growth in the forecast period. The cybersecurity industry in the country is highly advanced in terms of the know-how and volume of local industry professionals. Moreover, recent incidents, including enterprise-level cyber-attacks and international cyber warfare, have augmented awareness of cybersecurity threats and have boosted demand for cybersecurity products.
Ref - JewishLifeNews
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(June 3, 2020)
Cybersecurity product trial extended to fight against Coronavirus theme cyber attacks
Amid COVID-19, InternetNZ has announced that its new cybersecurity product, Defenz Domain Name System (DNS) Firewall, is available for a free four-month trial. This extended trial is offered to organizations and businesses, Internet Service Providers and Managed Service Providers, tertiary education, nonprofit, and government organizations between 3 June 2020 and 30 September 2020. It protects Internet users from phishing attacks.
Ref - InternetNZ
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(June 2, 2020)
NYDFS issued guidance on COVID-19 cybersecurity risks
As the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic continues, cybercriminals have upped the intensity of their COVID-19-themed cyber-attacks designed to exploit the current crisis. With financial institutions representing primary targets for COVID-19 cyber-attacks, the New York Department of Financial Services (“NYDFS”) issued new guidance to regulated entities regarding cybersecurity awareness.
Ref - Blankrome
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(June 2, 2020)
Due to Coronavirus IT spending in India could be dropped
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic impact, IT spending in India will total $83.5 billion, a decline of 8.1 percent in 2020, according to a forecast by Gartner on Wednesday. This is the first decline in IT spending experienced in India in the last five years. The fear of a global economic recession due to the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing CIOs (Chief Information Officers) in India to be very cautious about their IT spending.
Ref - Economic Times
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(June 2, 2020)
CSC urges swift implementation of key recommendations
U.S. Senator and a Congressman co-chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC), announced the release of a new Cyberspace Solarium Commission white paper, “Cybersecurity Lessons Learned from the Pandemic.” While many of the challenges identified in this white paper and the Commission’s final report have existed for the better part of four presidential administrations.
Ref - WisPolictics
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(June 2, 2020)
COVID-19 is blamed for the increase in cyber attacks against the financial sector
Disarray caused by the pandemic has become a breeding ground for financially-motivated attacks. The coronavirus pandemic has been connected to a 238% surge in cyberattacks against banks, new research claims. Financial organizations experienced a massive uptick in cyber attack attempts between February and April this year, the same months in which COVID-19 began to spread rapidly across the globe.
Ref - TelleMachus
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(June 2, 2020)
Cyber hygiene tips for SMEs amid COVID-19 pandemic
Crises like the current COVID-19 pandemic have a serious impact on the European as well as the International society and economy. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) should address
these cyber hygiene: management buy-in, risk assessment, cybersecurity policy, updates, awareness, access management, endpoint protection, secure remote access, backup, and Incident management plan.
Ref - Europa
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(June 2, 2020)
Security tips to prevent COVID-19 themed phishing attacks
People should remain vigilant to phishing threats, be on the lookout for suspicious emails, and look to trusted sources for information and updates regarding COVID-19. Cybersecurity experts and sysadmins must keep systems up-to-date. While this won’t block all possible attacks, many modern platforms and tools include countermeasures designed to prevent phishing and another type of cyberattacks.
Ref - Insights
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(June 2, 2020)
Cyber attackers are exploiting COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19 has rocked everyone’s world in some way or another. Whether it’s working from home, or practicing social distancing. One thing that hasn’t changed is that cybercriminals and nation-state actors continue to take advantage of local, national, and global events to attack, disrupt, steal from, and extort commercial industry, critical infrastructure providers, healthcare providers, research and education institutions, and Government and military organizations.
Ref - Fidelissecurity
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(June 2, 2020)
COVID-19 forced the adoption of widespread tech upgrades
The prevalent situation with COVID-19 has accelerated the industry’s shift to digital. Complex operations such as banking and finance have been forced to evolve quickly. While this has forced the adoption of widespread tech upgrades, it has also heightened the need to deal with security threats to which the banking industry is highly vulnerable. With a massive adoption in digital banking, all relevant stakeholders need to have a keen eye on safety and security online.
Ref - EconomicTimes
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(June 2, 2020)
Business more likely to face cyber attacks during Coronavirus
About 61 percent of Indian business leaders and decision-makers think their business is more likely to experience a serious cybercrime during the COVID-19 situation as opposed to 45 percent globally. About a third of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) believe that cyberattacks are more likely to occur during the COVID-19 situation than before, showed the study by US-based cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.
Ref - TelanganaToday
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(June 2, 2020)
dinCloud improved their cybersecurity amid Coronavirus pandemic
dinCloud is a leading Cloud Service Provider (CSP) that serves global customers through its multiple data centers. The CSP enjoys an impeccable track record in cybersecurity, which has been further consolidated in the wake of the recent COVID-19 crisis. The dinCloud has upgraded its entire cloud infrastructure to the latest security patches, with a particular focus on cyber threats emerging from the COVID-19 crisis.
Ref - DinCloud
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(June 2, 2020)
Securing an e-commerce store amid COVID-19
Without a proactive prevention plan, an eCommerce store is bound to lose customer data and revenue as transactions soar during COVID-19. To stay protected, follow these steps: do not store customer data, train in-house teams, educate customers, implement multi-layer security, cloud-based systems have greater protection. When looking ahead, focus on e-commerce security, and put the right protection in place.
Ref - MultiChannelMerchant
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(June 2, 2020)
Hospitality industry should invest in cybersecurity after COVID-19 crisis
The way global business fighting relentlessly to survive against the chaotic threat of the Coronavirus, all industries are exposed to criminal cyber-threats, and so the security of highly sensitive data must be handled appropriately. The industry-wide initiative is now an absolute necessity to ensure both SMEs and large hospitality corporates stand the best fighting chance to succeed in their cyber journey amid and beyond the global pandemic.
Ref - Infosecurity Magazine
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(June 2, 2020)
Cyberattacks increased against financial services firms greatly
The Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center 1 ("FS-ISAC") warned financial services companies, and particularly smaller firms, of a substantial increase in attempted cyber attacks since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, cyber-attacks targeted at bank employees rose in the first quarter of 2020. As of early April, FS-ISAC had also identified over 1,500 fraudulent or phishing websites.
Ref - Mondaq
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(June 2, 2020)
Protecting organization form Coronavirs themed cyber attacks
Establishing clear policies and procedures for the employees to follow while they work from home Providing appropriate security tools such as VPNs to the entire remote workforce. Implementing an action plan for the employees returning to the office once things are back to normal. Ensuring that incident response and handling practices are in place. Facilitating clear communication that gets employees on board.
Ref - HiveLife
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(June 2, 2020)
Cybersecurity risks in the oil & gas sector
Cyber threats are not just limited to the digital world but can manifest themselves as direct risks to physical assets. One side effect of the global spread of COVID-19 has been the rapid rise in the number of cyber-attacks across all sectors, which have risen by a third compared to the same period in 2019. Cybercriminals, ‘bad actors,’ are using the opportunity to exploit vulnerabilities in the IT infrastructure and security of companies.
Ref - GDPR
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(June 2, 2020)
Mobile security threats & growth during COVID-19
COVID-19 crisis has transformed the thought process of a company's management and board toward cybersecurity. A recent survey revealed that the impact of COVID-19 on the global cybersecurity market size is expected to grow from $ 183.2 billion in 2019 to $ 230.0 billion by 2021, exhibiting a CAGR of 12% during the forecast period. The overriding market forces stimulating investment up to 2019 will remain largely unchanged.
Ref - Yahoo
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(June 2, 2020)
Cybercriminals’ are waiting for businesses to reopen
As business slowly and cautiously reopens, cybercriminals lie in wait. A case study into a massive unemployment insurance fraud shows that cybercriminals patiently hunt for lucrative opportunities to strike. For that reason, companies reopening should consider conducting a cyber-audit to identify their cyber vulnerabilities and thwart cybercriminals lying in wait. Cybercriminals may use the chaos caused by the COVID-19 pandemic for an optimal opportunity to strike.
Ref - AntiCorruptionBlog
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(June 2, 2020)
Business Email Compromise cyber attacks at rise during Coronavirus pandemic
Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks are a sophisticated type of scam that target both businesses and individuals with the aim of transferring funds from victims’ bank accounts to criminals. Right now, they have the perfect vehicle for scams with the COVID-19 pandemic. The new working conditions enforced by the global outbreak has triggered a spike in BEC scams because more remote working means more opportunities to catch users off guard.
Ref - CheckPoint
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(June 2, 2020)
Improving security for remote work amid COVID-19
Be suspicious of offers that seem too good to be true, not feel pressured to agree to offers or deals on insurance, pensions or investments, check the credentials of the person they are dealing with by getting a name and contact details. Never give out personal details such as an insurance or pensions policy numbers or other account details. Always use contact details on documents provided by insurers or pension companies and never assume that all online sites are genuine.
Ref - Capita
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(June 2, 2020)
New variants of malware discovered during Coronavirus
Cybercriminals are known to leverage on the global phenomenon for personal gain, be it the elections or the Olympic Games. Hackers are using social engineering tools to formulate phishing emails in the name of the World Health Organization (WHO) and other regulatory bodies to target vulnerable victims. Here are some of the COVID-19-themed malware and ransomware: COVIDLock, Dharma, Emotet, Maze, REvil, and NetWalker.
Ref - CISOMag
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(June 2, 2020)
Privacy and security in the Coronavirus era
As healthcare organizations do battle against COVID-19, they also must stay on vigilant defense against cybercriminals intent on taking advantage of the crisis to sow chaos and disrupt clinical processes. Meanwhile, there are new places to safeguard and secure, whether they're hastily-erected ad hoc field hospitals or massively scaled up telehealth deployments. And fast-expanding efforts at contact tracing present their own unique and challenging privacy implications.
Ref - HealthCareITNews
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(June 2, 2020)
COVID-19 themed cyber campaigns increasing malware threats
Malwarebytes just released its latest quarterly Cybercrime Tactics and Techniques (CTNT) report, a special edition. The report is entitled, “Cybercrime tactics and techniques: Attack on home base.” The report focuses on recent, increased malware threats which all have one, the big thing in common using coronavirus as a lure. The report analyzes the trojans, info stealers, and botnets that threat actors delivered to increasingly more homes.
Ref - TechnologyForYou
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(June 2, 2020)
Cybersecurity professionals are in demand due to Coronavirus
COVID-19 is increasing the demand for cybersecurity professionals in Hong Kong and Singapore, but travel restrictions triggered by the virus are reducing an already tight talent pool. As a result, candidates can still command decent pay hikes if they move banks. Demand for cybersecurity professionals at banks in Asia has been on the rise since February, in lockstep with traffic increases to banks’ digital platforms during the pandemic.
Ref - EfinacialCareers
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(June 2, 2020)
Cybercriminals taking advantage of uncertainty around COVID-19 pandemic
Bad actors are exploiting the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 through phishing attacks and malicious websites. Simultaneously, national outlets are sounding the alarm about increased attacks and vulnerabilities. There is the reason for alarm, of course, the sense of normalcy has shifted completely. However, during times like these, people must remind themselves to practice compassion, remain level-headed, and avoid stoking hysteria.
Ref - CommPro
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(June 2, 2020)
COVID-19 outcomes on fraud detection and prevention market
COVID-19 impact on the global Fraud Detection and Prevention (FDP) market size is projected to grow from USD 23.4 billion in 2019 to USD 38.6 billion by 2021, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 28.4% during the forecast period. The market growth can be attributed to increased risks from remote access, the growing use of electronic transactions amidst pandemic crises, and the rising revenue losses due to fraudulent activities.
Ref - MarketandMarkets
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(June 2, 2020)
Protecting businesses from cyber attacks after Coronavirus crisis
Thousands of businesses re-opening in the UK could be at risk of cyber-attacks says tax and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg. So, businesses need to be as savvy as they can as they go back to work and get their systems up and running. Account accesses, policy, and security procedure changes made to accommodate remote work should be reassessed and readjusted periodically to determine if they are still relevant.
Ref - BusinessInsider
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(June 2, 2020)
Cybersecurity must adapt accordingly to Coronavirus themed attacks
COVID-19 pandemic has changed how people work, and cybersecurity needs to reflect this new normal. As networks and cloud environments stretch to accommodate the new reality, edge security strategies must be extended. The challenge here is not a new technology, but old mindsets. For businesses all over the world, adjusting to the new realities created by COVID-19 has been an incredible challenge.
Ref - WeForum
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(June 2, 2020)
Bad cyber habits compromise the safety of data and online accounts
New data from a biometric authentication provider, iProov, reveals that despite 26% of Brits feeling more vulnerable to online hackers due to the threat of COVID-19, many still have concerning habits that compromise the safety of their data and online accounts. The research, which polled UK consumers, also reveals that 71% believe they need to authenticate online identity is more important now than ever before.
Ref - BobsGuide
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(June 1, 2020)
Cybersecurity should be an integral part of any pandemic response plan
COVID-19 and the resulting lockdowns, quarantines and economic changes certainly counts as a ‘situation’ for cybersecurity. While it would be nice if cybersecurity could temporarily take a backseat while people and organizations figure out how to adapt to truly new working conditions, the reality is that a user can’t do things like rapidly shift to working from home. So, cybersecurity should be part of the pandemic response.
Ref - TripWire
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(June 1, 2020)
Improving data security during COVID-19 crisis
Organizations should implement a data governance policy that articulates the principles, practices, and standards deemed necessary by organizational leaders to ensure high-quality data and that their data assets are protected. Here are some best practices: separate generic information, Define a chain of command, Ensure adherence to reporting and compliance requirements, and devise a process to identify and fix any deviations from the established data control measures.
Ref - Forkast
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(June 1, 2020)
Coronavirus themed cyber threats are increasing worldwide
Industry experts are warning businesses and individuals against the increasing threat of worldwide cyber-attacks. Steve Inch, a global security manager with HP, calls the attacks the invisible threat of COVID-19. It's just ballooning up and had seen 600% increase. According to Inch, the biggest reason for the increase in attacks is because of the number of people working from home or remotely. That opens up more potential targets for hackers
Ref - KTVB
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(June 1, 2020)
Cyber attackers capitalizing COVID-19 pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has made networks more lucrative and vulnerable to cyberattacks than ever before. Employers should know the risk. With more employees working from home, people’s home computers can pose as much security risk to their company as its home server. Also, online crimes reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation have increased by 400% since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
Ref - OregonBusiness
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(June 1, 2020)
IT services in uncertain times due to Coronavirus crisis
Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, most Namibian businesses had to find creative ways to continue operations while keeping their employees, customers, and suppliers safe. More often than not, this took the form of remote working arrangements. The increased use of IT in combination with the distance between users and the IT function resulted in an uptick of cyber-attacks. None-the-less, the lockdown period also taught us valuable lessons about what is actually possible to achieve if the need for rapid change arises.
Ref - Deloitte
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(June 1, 2020)
Cyber attacks keep rising due to COVID-19 crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt the economy and business operations since social distancing and other mitigation measures went into effect in March. It hasn’t helped that cybercriminals have used the general commotion around COVID-19 to launch an ever-increasing number of online threats and attacks. In fact, hackers are using the disruption created by the coronavirus pandemic to target people and steal personal information.
Ref - GlobalSign
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(June 1, 2020)
Zoom releases an updated version of the app with the latest encryption
Unguarded usage of Zoom between professionals working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic can be vulnerable to attacks by leakage of sensitive office chat to cybercriminals. To solve the issue Zoom has released an enhanced and encrypted version of the application in order to ensure protection and privacy of personal information. The latest version 5.0 of Zoom has been released which supports AES 256-bit GCM encryption.
Ref - EconomicTimes
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(June 1, 2020)
Remote attacks on cloud service grew 600% during Coronavirus pandemic
A recent McAfee report confirms that cybercriminals have been steadily working to exploit the increase in remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic, with researchers finding that remote attacks on cloud service targets increased by a whopping 630 percent during the first four months of 2020. Researchers analyzed data from 30 million McAfee cloud global customers across all sectors, including healthcare, for its Cloud Adoption & Risk Report to determine the impact the Coronavirus on the cloud environment.
Ref - HealthITSecurity
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(June 1, 2020)
NHS Test & Trace scheme is exploited with smishing attack
The NHS Test & Trace scheme is already being exploited by cybercriminals, with a new smishing (SMS-phishing) attack telling citizens that they have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19. An example of the text message is below. These kinds of fake text messages typically include a link to a malicious site or will ask the receiver to share personal information that could then be used to commit identity fraud.
Ref - InformationSecurityBuzz
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(June 1, 2020)
COVID-19 pandemic taught important lessons about cybersecurity
COVID-19 is not the only risk with the ability to quickly and exponentially disrupt the way people live. The crisis shows that the world is far more prone to disturbance by pandemics, cyberattacks, or environmental tipping points than history indicates. The first lesson it taught that a cyberattack with characteristics similar to the coronavirus would spread faster and further than any biological virus and second is the economic impact of a widespread digital shutdown would be of the same magnitude.
Ref - WeForum
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(June 1, 2020)
UK public concerns about cyber-attacks with COVID-19 tracing app
Almost half (48%) of people in the UK questioned the NHSX contact-tracing app say they don’t trust the government to keep their information safe from hackers, according to a 1,000-person survey. The smartphone app, which is being piloted on the Isle of Wight, is part of the government’s ‘test, track, and trace’ strategy as the country eases out of coronavirus lockdown, with fewer restrictions in social distancing.
Ref - PharmaPhorum
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(May 31, 2020)
Working from home increased cyber risks
COVID-19 is forcing business leaders to adapt operating models faster than ever before to ensure existential survival. The large-scale adoption of work-from-home technologies, exponentially greater use of cloud services, and the explosion of connectivity allow companies to continue operations even with social distancing and “stay at home” orders. The paradigm shift is putting immense pressure on cybersecurity operations.
Ref - ThePrint
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(June 1, 2020)
State sponsored attacks from China affecting COVID-19 vaccine development
Over the past few months, malicious cyber actors have tried to exploit COVID-19 fears to deliver malicious software and steal data. The increasing number of state-sponsored attacks originating from China at rise. These are attacks aimed at espionage on COVID-19 vaccine development. It is not the first time that China has been involved in corporate espionage, but these new attacks are hindering vaccine development in the U.S.
Ref - CisoMag
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(June 1, 2020)
Financial services affected by COVID-19 themed cyber attacks
A new report by security firm McAfee has shown that hackers are exploiting threat opportunities by abusing cloud account credentials, with financial services being the biggest target. The regional director of MVISION Cloud Asia Pacific, McAfee told ifa sister publication Adviser Innovation that the financial services sector saw a 571 per cent increase in cloud threats from January to April 2020.
Ref - IFA
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(June 1, 2020)
Cyber attacks at rise due to Coronavirus outbreak
Many people are doing work from home due to coronavirus. Cyber ??security risk for companies has increased due to work from. Employees are accessing personal data of companies from their home laptops or PCs installed at home. They may not have the same level of firewall or security system that an office computer has. In such a situation, the chances of cyber attack are increased.
Ref - Bhasker
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(June 1, 2020)
Cyberattacks are keep increasing amid COVID-19 crisis
Cyberattacks are on the rise, and new cybersecurity risks are emerging due to the unprecedented changes in the way companies and their employees are currently forced to do business. In the last two months, cyberattacks have exploited the unique challenges that businesses face due to increased teleworking. Some examples include hacking, video- and teleconference hijacking, data breaches, and fraud.
Ref - BizJournals
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(June 1, 2020)
FIS is taking a comprehensive and multi-layered approach to fight against cyber attacks
Business continuity amid the COVID-19 lockdown is a big issue for all companies. To mitigate cyber threats and protect data, FIS is taking a comprehensive and multi-layered approach. They make use of advanced tools that include artificial intelligence to monitor and detect fraudulent transactions on a real-time basis. The system continuously monitors various threat vectors and advises users to remain vigilant against such cyberattacks.
Ref - AnalyticsIndiaMag
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(June 1, 2020)
Using intelligent automation during COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has, in its relatively short tenure, already introduced unprecedented change on organisations, and is expected to continue doing so for at least the next few months. To solve this issue, intelligent automation can be an option as it spans across basic process automation, enhanced automation (e.g. machine learning, natural language processing) and cognitive automation (e.g. artificial intelligence).
Ref - KPMG
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(June 1, 2020)
Healthcare is prime target for cybercrime during Coronavirus
The healthcare is now firmly in the sights of cybercriminals due to Coronavirus pandemic. Medical records generate significant profits on dark web black markets and forums. And their loss can incur significant penalties for failing to comply with data privacy laws. In addition to exploiting stolen data for crime, the critical nature of services provided makes healthcare a prime target for ransomware attacks.
Ref - ScMagazineUK
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(June 1, 2020)
Preventive measures to stay protected from Coronavirus themed attacks
Storing sensitive data in the app on the necessary personal device, a user should have a security tool that can detect malware. Beware of phishing emails and messages, make strong passwords, enable two factor authentication required. It has also become necessary to take cyber-insurance insurance cover. A comprehensive cyber insurance cover provides protection against various types of cyber risk.
Ref - Everyupdates
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