{"id":21324,"date":"2020-04-10T15:00:08","date_gmt":"2020-04-10T15:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2020\/04\/10\/the-best-response-to-teleworks-cyber-problems-vigilance\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:08:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:08:31","slug":"the-best-response-to-teleworks-cyber-problems-vigilance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/cyber\/2020\/04\/10\/the-best-response-to-teleworks-cyber-problems-vigilance\/","title":{"rendered":"The best response to telework\u2019s cyber problems? Vigilance"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On March 20, the FBI issued an alert<\/a> warning that cyber thieves are trying to exploit the coronavirus pandemic to steal money, commit identity theft, and engage in other hacking-related activity. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a similar alert<\/a> earlier this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the those groups, hackers are sending phishing emails purporting to come from the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other organizations. Those emails claim to offer information on the virus and ask recipients to click on links or open attachments, which allow hackers to deploy malware. Hackers are also sending phishing emails purporting to come from charitable organizations or trying to entice recipients to click on links by claiming to offer airline refunds, testing kits, vaccines, and\/or financial relief. The FBI also warns that hackers are using websites and apps that claim to track coronavirus cases to deploy ransomware. These trends are not improving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have probably seen these phishing attacks yourself \u2013 on your smartphones and on your home\/family computers. Cyber criminals are preying on the fear and uncertainty generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Barracuda Networks<\/a> reports it saw 137 incidents in January grow to 1,188 in February and 9,116 part of the way through March. While the topics of these scams vary, Barracuda associated approximately 2% of them with Coronavirus\/Covid-19 topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On March 27, KnowBe4.com<\/a> detected a particularly cruel and amoral attack \u2013 appearing to come from a hospital and directing the recipients to fill out the attached spreadsheet and proceed to the hospital because they had been exposed to the coronavirus via \u201ccolleague\/friend\/family member.\u201d Unlike many attacks that have grammatical errors or clumsy syntax, this message was clear, concise and alarming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The forced telecommuting requirements of today\u2019s environment increases the probability that employees are relying on mobile devices and personally owned devices to conduct business that previously would be done from their offices, on a hardened network. This change opens a new vulnerability for businesses. Lookout security company reports<\/a> that not only do the \u201cfeatures, functionality, and even the screen size\u201d of mobile devices make it harder for a person to distinguish legitimate from suspicious communications, personally owned mobile devices are outside of company\u2019s security perimeter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Verizon reports in its 2020 Mobile Security Index<\/a> (MSI) that the number of businesses reporting a mobile-device related compromise rose 44% from its initial report in 2018. While the rise is not unexpected, the 2020 index also notes a reduction in the number of companies who acknowledged sacrificing some form of mobile security for the convenience of mobile devices, due to a lack of financial or manpower resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, while these malicious acts come in many different forms, their goal is the same \u2013 to trick the recipient into clicking on a link or take some action such as entering a user name or password, emailing confidential information, or transferring funds. Given that millions of Americans have transitioned to work from home, the risks associated with exploits have grown substantially, and phishing attacks on mobile devices are launched through methods other than e-mail, such as gaming and social media sites that office IT systems have normally locked down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can you help employees understand the risk these threats pose to their personal information and government data, and their role in defending against them? <\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On an organizational level, if you have not done so already, you should alert your workforce that these malicious acts are occurring and that workers need to exercise vigilance in defending against them. Like other cons, these coronavirus exploits are deliberately designed to pray on people\u2019s fears and generosity. If this type of training and reminders for your employee group would be a new concept, you should coordinate with your CISO or security team to prepare an email to your workforce discussing these threats and reinforcing good cyber hygiene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Items that you should consider including in your email incorporate the following tips taken from the FBI\u2019s alert:<\/p>\n\n\n\n