Tag Archive for: pandemic

Cybersecurity, the pandemic and the 2021 holiday shopping season: A perfect storm

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Ping Identity executive advisor Aubrey Turner warns that eager cybercriminals are ready to exploit the current chaotic state of the world, and preparation is essential going into the holidays.

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Image: Shutterstock/Troyan

We’re heading into the holiday shopping season, and there will definitely be more than just the usual frozen, snowy bumps in the road to success. Supply chain interruptions and a continuing chip shortage have made things hard enough as it is, and that’s before you even stop to consider the cybersecurity and privacy concerns that have only been exacerbated by the state of things.

Aubrey Turner, executive advisor at Ping Identity, says that the usual scams have only been amplified by a massive turn to online shopping due to the pandemic. “All these things have driven more people than ever to shop online, buy online, and that presents an opportunity for attackers and bad guys,” Turner said. 

SEE: Google Chrome: Security and UI tips you need to know  (TechRepublic Premium)

Those aforementioned supply chain interruptions have only widened the peak fraud time window for many attackers, who are keeping up with consumers who have started shopping earlier. In addition to starting early, many parents are in a desperate position in 2021: Will the toy their child wants even be available?

“Think about the past 20 Christmases: There is always some hot toy, from the Furby and Tickle Me Elmo, to Xboxes and PS4s. That creates an opportunity for an attacker to take advantage of somebody that wants to give that as a gift,” Turner said. 

In terms of specific threats that Turner said he’s noticed this year, two stand out: Card not present fraud, and non-delivery scams. Card not present fraud takes advantage of situations where a transaction can be run without possession of a physical card, while non-delivery scams are probably common to anyone who has an email address: They’re those phishy-looking emails you get from “FedEx” about a package you weren’t expecting being undeliverable.

There’s a common thread between…

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The Digital Pandemic – Ransomware

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In 2021, there are two words that can send a cold chill down the spine of any Cybersecurity professional and business leader; Phishing and Ransomware.

Research carried out by the Data Analytics and training company CybSafe, identified that 22% of all cyber incidents reported in the first quarter of 2021 were ransomware attacks. According to the figures obtained from the Information Commissioners Office, they are up by 11% compared to 2020.

This increase is significant and must be studied more closely, but let us start at the beginning.

What is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a form of ‘Malware’ or malicious software that infects your computer or device and blocks you from accessing your systems or files.  Generally speaking, the entire system or subset of files will be encrypted. Until you, the victim, pay the ransom, you cannot access the system or the files, which are now under the control of the Cybercriminals.  The demand for payment usually comes in a request for payment by bitcoin or some other anonymous form of payment/bank transfer. 

Cybercriminals understand not only the technical aspects of the attack but also the psychological angles to play to. They will often state that all files and systems will be deleted or destroyed if the demands are not met within a specific timescale, thereby creating a sense of panic and urgency. They may also state that they will inform your clients of the breach (after all, they have your entire customer base in their hands), thereby adding blackmail to the ransomware demand. In recent years we have also heard of instances where they will threaten to inform the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) of your breach, meaning you run the risk of regulatory and legislative investigations.

Why has it become such a problem?

Ransomware is nothing new. The first known ransomware attack occurred as far back as 1989 and focused on the health care sector.  Fast forward to the present, and a report by the security company, Purplesec, there were 68,000 ransomware trojans for mobile devices in 2019.  There are several reasons why Ransomware is so prevalent, and it is linked to something that has also been on the increase for many…

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Pandemic side effect: Two out of every three Indians addicted to being online, says report by computer security firm

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The COVID-19 pandemic has left two out of every three Indians addicted to being online, says a report released on August 24.

According to the 2021 Norton Cyber Safety Insights report by consumer security company NortonLifeLock, adults in India are spending 4.4 hours a day on an average in front of screens, apart from the time they spend online for work or educational purposes. The report is based on an online survey of more than 1,000 Indian adults conducted by the Harris Poll.

About eight in 10 (82 per cent) respondents said that the amount of time they spent in front of screens, in addition to the time spent for educational or work purposes, has increased significantly during the pandemic.

The survey also found that most of the online activity is done over smartphones, with 84 per cent adults surveyed saying they are spending too much time on smartphones.

Another interesting finding from the survey is the adverse effect on physical and mental health due to excessive online presence. The majority of adults (74 per cent) claimed that the amount of time they spend in front of a screen negatively impacted their physical health, while more than half (55 per cent) said it negatively impacted their mental health.

Ritesh Chopra, NortonLifeLock’s Director, India & SAARC Countries, said in a statement: “It is understandable that the pandemic has increased our dependence on screens for activities that could otherwise have been done offline. It is important for every individual, however, to find a healthy balance between their on-screen and off-screen time so that their health and, more importantly, their children’s health is not adversely impacted.”

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The Second Wave of a Ransomware Pandemic

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In January, we published the Ransomware Pandemic, a report discussing the ever-evolving threat of ransomware and the growing devastation disseminated by these malicious malware strains. The report discussed the future forecast for ransomware and how we imagined the threat would progress in the immediate future. Just six months later, these predictions have already become a reality. In this part of our discussion about the ransomware pandemic, we shall examine these developments and discuss exactly how we, as a community, can begin to confront this ongoing struggle.

Six Months of Chaos

Since the beginning of 2021, ransomware has dominated headlines across the globe. We have witnessed some of the most significant ransomware attacks the world has ever seen—events that have already changed the landscape, evidenced in the way world leaders are responding to these attacks, altering policies and beginning to consider real-world responses.
It is now estimated that worldwide, the cost of ransomware attacks will exceed $265 billion in the next decade, spiralling out of control by 2031 if a solution is not identified. Health care has continued to be a high-value target in these attacks, with significant breaches against Ireland’s department of health and a major attack against New Zealand’s health care system so far this year, both attributed to ransomware. These compromises led to the cancellation of major surgeries and appointments, causing disruption and backlogs in a sector already under a phenomenal amount of pressure.

In May 2021, cyberinsurance giant AXA was hit by a controversial attack, just one week after announcing that they would no longer be covering ransom payments in their cyberinsurance policies. In June 2021 JBS USA Holdings Inc., the world’s largest meat supplier, met an $11 million ransom demand after their systems were compromised, with the CEO stating, “It was very painful to pay the criminals, but we did the right thing for our customers.”

Another sector that has taken a huge hit in 2021 is critical infrastructure. The attack against U.S. fuel supplier Colonial Pipeline in May this year attracted arguably the most public attention the cybersecurity community…

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