Even COVID-19 hasn’t been able keep cybersecurity issues at bay.
Cybersecurity breaches seem to get worse and more numerous by the year. And even in the face of unprecedented changes over the past few months, cyber criminals haven’t let up.
In fact, it seems cyber criminals have been quick to exploit many of the changes affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
We’re going to look at some of the year’s most significant cybersecurity issues as we near 2020’s halfway point. One theme that you’ll certainly see throughout is how COVID-19 has played some role in many of 2020’s biggest breaches, hacks and other security headlines.
Stimulus Fraud
Earlier this year, most states enacted stay-at-home orders and other mandates to “flatten the curve.” But the economic cost was tremendous, at tens of millions of jobs lost and many thousands of businesses put in peril. The federal government responded with several forms of stimulus, including $1,200 direct payments to most Americans.
The hastily formed plans, however, left many people confused about what to expect. That confusion left them vulnerable to cyber fraudsters. Phishing scammers preyed on the perplexed with fake payout emails leading to identity theft.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency subsequently published guidance on avoiding these kinds of attacks.
School Hacks
Most schools had to shut down their physical operations for the public’s safety. That led to ramshackle transition plans to go online – which in turn has led to some alarming breaches.
In one of the more bizarre attacks, an unwanted visitor exposed himself and screamed obscenities to high school students in Berkeley, California, on an online teleconferencing platform.
Breach of U.S. Defense Agency
One large breach that predated the rise of COVID-19 in America happened at the Department of Defense’s Defense Information Systems Agency.
The breach, which occurred in 2019, was announced in 2020 as DISA sent out letters to warn potential victims. The DoD division said that Social Security numbers and other sensitive personal data were exposed in the attack.
Zoom Breach
Zoom Video Communications’ teleconferencing platform has surged in popularity as many American businesses sent their employees home and shifted their operations online. However, the app also has suffered an increase in data breaches and other issues. In April, someone discovered that roughly half a million Zoom account credentials were up for sale on the Dark Web.
Zoom also came under scrutiny when it admitted that some users not located in China had their calls routed through China.
Magellan Health Hit by Ransomware
Healthcare systems have been seriously overstretched thanks to the burden of patients being tested or treated for COVID-19. That has made them only more vulnerable to cyber attacks.
While several providers have been hit in 2020, one of the most notable was a ransomware attack and data breach at Fortune 500 managed health care company Magellan Health. A phishing email sent April 6 gave the fraudster access to Magellan’s systems.
Looking to keep your company from making similar headlines later on in 2020? Contact Lunarline to learn about our wide range of cybersecurity solutions.
