When companies, schools and individuals made the shift to social distancing and WFH practices, not only did our workloads change, but our online and device habits did as well. It’s no secret that with the implementation of social distancing, a surge in online traffic and device usage followed. Without the option of face to face socializing, we turned to every screen within our reach. What many companies and individuals didn’t predict, however, was how the pandemic would present a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for scammers. A report from Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) shows a 63% increase in cyber-attacks since the pandemic began.
For individuals at home passing the time online, our advice is to stay on your toes when it comes to your online activity. We know by month 6 that boredom stuck a long time ago, and that online quiz about how well you know your best friend is intriguing. Keep in mind hackers are cunning and don’t have ethics for how they get your personal information. You could be giving away you or your friend’s account security questions without knowing it. This is just one out of an infinite number of schemes that appear harmless.
For businesses weathering this pandemic, our advice is don’t wait until it is too late. Like we mentioned above, many companies did not see a pandemic coming, let alone lasting as long as it has. It is important to note that living with the mindset of “It couldn’t get worse than this” is doing your company a disservice. Take charge and secure your networks and devices to the proper extent so you don’t run the risk of experiencing a hack or scam you can’t recover from.
Have questions regarding securing your networks? Drop us a line at Solutions@thetek.com
