COVID-19 Resource Center: Latest News and Insights on the Novel Coronavirus and Cybersecurity Response

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we all live and work, creating the largest remote workforce in history. Never have topics such as identity and access management, device security and business resiliency been more critical. Use this COVID-19 Resource Center for the latest updates and opinions on the virus, its influence on the threat landscape and how global organisations can improve response.

COVID-19 Latest: 'We Are Really Struggling'

Tom Field • November 23, 2020

It took 100 days for the world to record its first 1 million COVID-19 infections. A week ago, 1 million cases were added in just over one day. In advance of the Thanksgiving break, pandemic expert Regina Phelps shares insights on the virus, testing and how soon we might see vaccines.

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Governance & Risk Management

COVID-19: Growing Cybersecurity Risks

Latest

Fraud Management & Cybercrime

Botnet Operators Drop Banking Trojans for Ransomware

Mathew J. Schwartz • November 25, 2020

Driven by the profits to be achieved via ransomware, most botnet operators have dropped banking Trojans in favor of supporting and running crypto-locking malware attacks, according to security experts who spoke Wednesday at cybersecurity firm Group-IB's CyberCrimeCon 2020 virtual conference.

Governance & Risk Management

Report Says House Members Could Securely Vote Remotely

Chinmay Rautmare • November 13, 2020

A House of Representatives staff report concludes that existing technology and infrastructure could be used to allow lawmakers to securely cast their votes remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. But some Republicans question whether remote voting is, indeed, feasible.

Governance & Risk Management

FTC Settlement With Zoom Sets Security Requirements

Doug Olenick • November 9, 2020

As part of a settlement of allegations that Zoom "engaged in a series of deceptive and unfair practices that undermined the security of its users," the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is requiring the video conferencing provider to implement and maintain a comprehensive security program within the next 60 days.

Endpoint Security

NCSC Reports Record Number of Cyber Incidents Amid COVID-19

Prajeet Nair • November 3, 2020

The U.K. NCSC responded to over 700 cyber incidents over a 12-month period, 200 of which were related to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the cyber agency's annual report. NCSC also notes that's it's preparing to step-up its response to cyber incidents involving the NHS and vaccine development.

Fraud Management & Cybercrime

Marriott and BA's Reduced Privacy Fines: GDPR Realpolitik

Mathew J. Schwartz • November 3, 2020

Large, recently levied privacy fines against the likes of British Airways, H&M and Marriott show regulators continuing to bring the EU's General Data Protection Regulation to bear after businesses get breached. But in the case of Marriott and BA, were the final fines steep enough?

Fraud Management & Cybercrime

Marriott Hit With $24 Million GDPR Privacy Fine Over Breach

Mathew J. Schwartz • November 2, 2020

Hotel giant Marriott has been hit with the second largest privacy fine in British history, after it failed to contain a massive, long-running data breach. But the final fine of $23.8 million was just 20% of the penalty initially proposed by the U.K.'s privacy watchdog, owing in part to COVID-19's ongoing impact.

Fraud Management & Cybercrime

US Hospitals Warned of Fresh Wave of Ransomware Attacks

Prajeet Nair • October 29, 2020

The FBI and CISA warn U.S. hospitals about a fresh wave of Ryuk ransomware attacks that have recently targeted healthcare facilities across the country. Over the past week, several hospitals have publicly reported attacks, which appear to be financially motivated.

Fraud Management & Cybercrime

Insider Sentenced for Sabotaging PPE Shipments

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee • October 26, 2020

A former vice president of a personal protective equipment packaging firm has been sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution for sabotaging the company's electronic shipping records during the COVID-19 pandemic - causing delays in deliveries - after he was terminated from his job.

Fraud Management & Cybercrime

Police Battle Criminal Abuse of Cryptocurrency, Encryption

Mathew J. Schwartz • October 26, 2020

"Cybercrime is an evolution, not a revolution," says Europol's Philipp Amann, who oversees the EU law enforcement intelligence agency's annual study of the latest cyber-enabled crime trends. Ransomware, social engineering and the criminal abuse of cryptocurrency and encryption are some of the top threats.

Next-Generation Technologies & Secure Development

Behavioral Biometrics: The Next Generation

Tom Field • October 19, 2020

Behavioral biometrics have evolved, and Michael Yeardley of LexisNexis Risk Solutions says the new generation of controls can not only identify the bad guy - but also "the really clever bad guy." He explains how.

Cryptocurrency Fraud

Cybercrime: 12 Top Tactics and Trends

Mathew J. Schwartz • October 13, 2020

Ransomware attacks remain the top cyber-enabled threat seen by law enforcement. But phishing, business email compromises and other types of fraud - many now using a COVID-19 theme - also loom large, Europol warns in its latest Internet Organized Crime Threat Assessment.

Governance & Risk Management

Cybersecurity Leadership: Marketing in the Maelstrom

Tom Field • October 9, 2020

Steve Jobs once said: "Marketing is about values." But how well is the cybersecurity solutions message being received amid the convergence of pandemic and economic strains? We brought an outspoken group of CMOs and CISOs together to discuss the topic.