(Newswire.net — April 1, 2020) —
The coronavirus pandemic has caused havoc across the globe. Not only is it putting people’s lives at risk, but it’s also proving disastrous for the economy. As businesses face closures and switching to a work from home setting, it’s also leading to major issues with cybersecurity.
Hackers and fraudsters have stepped up their efforts to cash in on the coronavirus pandemic. So, how can international businesses stop these cybersecurity threats? Here, we’ll look at some of the main challenges the coronavirus crisis is posing in terms of security and how they can be overcome.
What cybersecurity challenges does it present?
There are a number of cybersecurity challenges presented for international businesses throughout the coronavirus chaos. Largely the issues present for those with employees who are working from home.
The number of cyber-attacks aimed at workers and students have increased. Hackers are using the fear of the coronavirus to target their victims. This includes sending emails with infected links which allow them to steal information once they have been clicked. The number of cyber-attacks related to the coronavirus have become so common, the World Health Organisation has issued several warnings about scammers during this time.
Since the start of 2020, more than 4000 coronavirus-related domains have been registered. It is estimated that approximately 3% of those are malicious and 5% are suspicious. This means, coronavirus related websites are around 50% more likely to be malicious than other new sites registered.
In March, the number of malicious Covid-19 reports have increased by a staggering 475%. As of March 16th, there had been 8,319 reports. When you compare this to the 1,448 reports made in February, you can see just how problematic the issue is becoming.
The trouble is, when your employees are working from home, they may not have access to a secure network. If they use their home broadband for example, it isn’t going to be as secure as the network in the office.
Those working from home right now aren’t necessarily used to working from home. This means they can become more easily distracted; particularly if they are concerned about the virus and its effects on their lives.
Another potential issue is that there is a lack of IT support for those working at home. Many companies are also working with a limited budget right now, preventing them from ramping up their security.
These are some of the main challenges presented by the coronavirus outbreak. So, how can your company reduce the risks and keep its workers and personal information safe?
How can businesses protect themselves?
The good news is, there are lots of ways businesses can protect themselves. These include:
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Ensure workers are using a VPN
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Familiarise yourself with the latest threats
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Ensure remote working guidelines are updated
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Seek professional advice
One of the best ways to keep workers safe and protect company data with remote working, is to ensure they are using a business VPN. This produces a secure and private network for the business that all of your employees can use. They are extremely difficult to bypass, and they are different to personal VPN’s. Make sure you’re using one specifically designed for businesses.
You’ll also want to make sure you and your staff are aware of the current coronavirus scams circulating. You can find information on these on the WHO website, alongside a simple online search.
Making sure your remote working guidelines are updated is also a good idea. This will tell your employees how they can work safely from home. This could include ensuring they are using a VPN and not clicking on any links in emails.
Finally, you can also seek professional advice from tech law experts Withers, or from cybersecurity experts. They will be able to identify improvements that could be made, as well as explain your legal rights if a breach occurs.
In these uncertain times, it’s difficult to comprehend there are people out there trying to take advantage of our fear and vulnerabilities. However, by staying vigilant and familiarising yourself with the latest threats, it can really help to protect you and your business from coronavirus related cybersecurity threats.