Coronavirus scams are on the rise

Coronavirus scams are here.

Hackers are looking to exploit the huge increase in remote workers

Unfortunately, cybercriminals are not taking a break during the biggest health crisis that we’ve ever seen.

Europe’s law enforcement agency, Europol, has warned that the number of attacks is likely to rise as criminals look to take advantage of this unique situation. Their new report details how there is an increase in phishing emails trying to trick people into handing over their sensitive personal information and bank details.

“The number of cyberattacks is significant and expected to increase further. Cyber criminals will continue to innovate in the deployment of various malware and ransomware packages themed around the COVID-19 pandemic,” said the report.

A family working and playing together but have they fixed their home internet security?

In March 2020, a Czech hospital serving as a COVID-19 testing centre was hit with a cyberattack in in the midst of a coronavirus outbreak, forcing some services to be temporarily shut down.

“These types of attack during a public health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic are particularly threatening and carry very real risks to human lives,” said the Europol report.

Cybersecurity tips for remote workers

You’re not safer at home that you are in the office, so make sure you follow these tips when working from home.

Do not click on suspicious links or open any suspicious attachments
Be suspicious of emails from people you don’t know, especially if they ask to connect to links or open files
Ensure your Wi-Fi connection is secure. Haven’t changed your WiFi password in a while? Now is the time to do it.
Ensure anti-virus is in place and fully updated.
Check all security software is up to date: Privacy tools, add-ons for browsers and other patches need to be checked regularly.
Have a back-up strategy and remember to do it: All important files should be backed up regularly. In a worst case scenario, staff could fall foul of ransomware for instance. Then all is lost without a backup.
Make sure you are using a secure connection to your work environment. Not sure if it is? Get your IT company to check that for you.