Your workers are online…but is your IT security?

The Pandemic and its effect on IT security.

The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced previously unthinkable challenges to organisations around the world. Businesses with unrehearsed (and in many cases even non-existent) work-from-home procedures now have employees working remotely on an unprecedented scale. Even post-pandemic, remote working is likely to remain a staple of many organisations’ new realities.

COVID-19 Themed Phishing and Malware Scams Are on the Rise

The resilience organisations have demonstrated in adapting to these constant changes is undeniably impressive. Yet for many, this scramble to move to cloud-based working has left them vulnerable to cyber threats from criminals eager to exploit any weak links exposed by businesses caught short in the sudden switch to remote working. More so now than ever before, the security of organisations’ cloud environments, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), and email platforms are being put to the test.

Warnings regarding this rise in COVID-19-related cybercrime emerged towards the beginning of April from the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the USA’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in a joint advisory.¹ Threats observed in the advisory included:

• phishing and malware distribution using coronavirus themes,
• registration of new domain names related to COVID-19
• malicious attacks against newly deployed remote working infrastructures.²

This evidence proves that cybercriminals are unrelenting in their efforts to even exploit anxieties around the pandemic itself, with Google revealing they have been blocking more than 18 million hoax emails to Gmail users every day.³

What can my organisation do to protect against cyber threats?

With remote working having secured its place in the future of many organisations, now is the time to put in place the measures to ensure your business is not being left exposed to cyberattacks. By choosing a managed security service program, such as Covenco’s Cyber Security Monitoring, you can be confident you are taking a holistic approach to your organisation’s cyber security through a bespoke combination of offensive and defensive security services.

Covenco’s Cyber Security Monitoring/Security Information Event Management (SIEM) provides a comprehensive cyber security strategy by combining the efforts of our Security Operations Centre (SOC), Incident Response (IR) Services, and Network Operations Centre (NOC). Ultimately, this managed security service program provides 24/7 protection against the latest cyber threats thanks to the combined expertise of these teams and our award-winning cyber security monitoring service providers. These services also include training to help ensure your whole organisation can be vigilant against potential threats.

Email security and archiving can provide further protection against the types of attacks identified in the advisory. Working alongside our email security partner Mimecast, Covenco can support organisations using Office 365, Microsoft Exchange, or G Suite to not only deploy anti-spam and anti-virus protection but also back up and archive emails securely to prevent data loss.

Start building your cyber security strategy today.

Don’t let your ability to work remotely become your biggest weakness. Our team is on hand to offer advice and help make sure you don’t fall victim to cyber-attacks. Get in touch today by filling in the form below or call us on 0845 2070 999 to take the first step in improving your organisation’s cyber security strategy.

References
1 https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/news/covid-19-exploited-by-cyber-actors-advisory 
2 https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/files/Final%20Joint%20Advisory%20COVID-19%20exploited%20by%20malicious%20cyber%20actors%20v3.pdf  
3 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52319093