• Technology -> Information security

• 0 Comment

How has the pandemic affected information security incident response at a global level?

Littie Cranham

Hey friend,

The pandemic has had significant impacts on information security incident response at a global level. As the world shifted to remote work to combat the spread of the virus, cybercriminals saw an opportunity to exploit new vulnerabilities. The increased use of devices and networks outside of traditional office environments created new vulnerabilities that organizations had not fully prepared for.

One of the primary issues that emerged was an increase in phishing attacks. Cybercriminals sent out emails and messages containing fraudulent links or attachments related to the pandemic, taking advantage of people's fears and concerns to steal sensitive information. These attacks ranged from emails disguised as official government sources promising important information regarding the virus to fake charity organizations asking for donations. As people were spending more time online due to lockdowns, remote work, and social distancing restrictions, phishing attacks rose to the occasion.

Furthermore, the pandemic has also seen an increase in ransomware attacks. Cybercriminals have been targeting businesses that have been unable to invest in cybersecurity due to budgetary constraints brought on by economic difficulties related to the pandemic. Ransomware attacks held vital systems hostage while demanding payment in return for restoring the data. In some cases, cybercriminals chose to publicly expose data, leading to data privacy breaches.

Moreover, with an increase in remote work, a new dimension of threat has arisen, particularly with the usage of personal devices with a less secure connection that might not be well-protected like company systems. In many cases, access controls were not crafted to protect from bad actors extended to personal devices connected to company networks. This scenario exposes employees to further risks of falling into vulnerabilities and losing their valuable credentials and data from attacks.

The pandemic has changed the way we work and has also prompted organizations to accelerate the adoption of new technologies such as cloud computing, AI/ML, and edge computing. This shift has presented new opportunities for cybercriminals to launch targeted attacks, exploit systems and services vulnerabilities, and infiltrate sensitive information. With remote work being the new normal, third-party risk and supply chain management have become crucial activities to preserve safe operations and reduce risk in an environment where vendors and business partners become more critical in guiding current and future business initiatives.

In conclusion, the pandemic has made evident the need for cybersecurity measures to evolve. The security landscape must adapt to changes in the way we work, identify threats, and improve plans to deter, detect, and respond to cyber threats. The road to security looks long and the burden inevitably falls on every stakeholder in a business or organization. Whether it's IT experts, business leaders, or employees, each one should work towards minimizing the breaches and bolstering security. It all comes down to educating and equipping ourselves up with the right tools to ensure we secure ourselves and our organizations in the face of any new threat that may emerge.

Stay safe and secure,

(Your name)