Help Staff Stay Vigilant Against Coronavirus Cyber Attacks
Cybercriminals are on the loose in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and taking full advantage of the confusion caused by millions of Americans working from home.
Anytime there are changes in the business world, cybercriminals are quick to sow confusion at all levels of the organization. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, millions of Americans are working remotely — using new technology solutions for productivity, telecommunications and collaboration. IT teams had a limited amount of time to roll out new policies, procedures and training, often doing the minimum possible to get all staff members up and running before circling back to provide additional security insight to individuals who may have never worked from home in the past. Hackers have been taking advantage of traditional workplace situations at an alarming rate and have intensified their efforts in the face of the coronavirus crisis. Recent research shows that individuals were already responsible for approximately 60% of data breaches and cyberattacks, a number that has likely jumped dramatically in the weeks since our model of working shifted on its axis. Here are a few of the various attacks cybercriminals have deployed in an attempt to defraud your organization.
Business Email Compromise Training is Vital
Employees may receive an email on their corporate account that looks completely legitimate. In essence, it comes from a known or trusted vendor or contractor, contains details of a recent activity or might even appear to originate from within your organization. With closer consideration, it quickly becomes evident that these emails are simply a way for cybercriminals to attempt to encourage staff members to take any action that will leave their organization vulnerable to external attack. Hackers are taking advantage of the changes in business procedures required by remote workers, which may reduce or eliminate double-check for large money transfers or unusual vendor payments. Security Boulevard recommends training staff to look for spoofed domain names and other clear indicators that emails are not valid.
Don’t Risk Sharing Personal Information in a Public Health Scam
Nearly everyone in the country is concerned with the threat of an imminent case of COVID-19 being found in their group, causing hackers to take advantage of this fear through a targeted cyberattack. Targets may receive an email from their local healthcare provider or the World Health Organization (WHO), often asking for personal information such as Social Security numbers, tax IDs and more. There may be a document attached “for your review” or a link to review additional information. One thing you can be sure of — clicking the link or opening the attachment will invariably launch a nasty virus or malware instance on your mobile device or computer.
Maintain High Levels of Security
It’s not unusual for companies to need to bring additional technical support online during a time of crisis, but be sure you’re sharing that information with employees so they don’t lower their guard. Coach staff members on exactly how they will be contacted by internal IT help desk support staff to resolve issues. Hackers are infiltrating company email boxes and spoofing email addresses while leveraging the information they’ve gleaned from social media platforms to present their criminal behaviors as coming from a trusted source. Remind users that internal IT staff should not need to verify personal information as well as sharing exactly how file updates or downloads will be delivered to users remotely.
Protecting your staff members and business assets doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. When you work with the professionals at PNJ Technology Partners, you can be confident that you’re gaining access to highly-trained and qualified professionals that will always place the needs of your organization first. Albany businesses trust that PNJ Technology Partners will provide the proactive IT services and support needed to retain efficient operations and tight security even in the face of a challenge as serious as the coronavirus pandemic. Contact our team at 518-459-6712 or via email to info@pnjtechpartners.com to schedule your complimentary initial consultation or to learn more about how we are keeping NYC companies safe from attack during this difficult time.
