Phishing in a Pandemic
Cybercriminals are smart, they are professionals in what they do and know how to take advantage of an opportunity, like a pandemic. The Microsoft Threat Protection Intelligence Team has recently published a report on how scammers have used the COVID-19 pandemic to increase phishing attacks.
According to the report, they observed the biggest spike in pandemic-related attacks in the first two weeks of March. The report found that the timing of the attacks is correlated to major news stories to capitalize on the fear of the public. For example, there have been many attacks in the last few weeks as fears of a second wave of cases grow in the United States.
“Cybercriminals are adaptable and always looking for the best and easiest ways to gain new victims.” the researchers mention. Updated cybersecurity programs and updated employee training can help protect your business from cybercriminals.
The figure on the right is from the Microsoft report: Exploiting a crisis (https://bit.ly/3dy6vUs) It shows the frequency of pandemic themed attacks in the United States and how they jumped during major events. This chart is very similar to the global trend as well.
With todays increased risk of a phishing scam it is important to have cyber security that will protect your network and information immediately when faced with a threat. Your business has a greater chance now than ever to be targeted for a phishing scam or worse. Ostra Cyber Security provides active defense protection for your businesses’ data and acts immediately instead of monitoring and alerting like many antiviruses do.
Want to find out more? Contact us today at protection@ostra.net
https://blog.knowbe4.com/microsoft-on-covid-19-themed-cyberattacks
