As more companies around the world require, or highly recommend, that their employees work remotely to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus, hackers who thrive off fear see this as an opportune time to carry out a cyber-attack. In this time of fear and uncertainty, it’s more critical than ever to practice good security hygiene (just think of it as the technical version of proper handwashing).
“This is a moment that a lot of hackers across the world have been preparing for,” says Brian Finch, a partner at law firm Pillsbury who co-leads the firm’s coronavirus response team. “This is an opportunity to conduct pretty robust cyber-espionage, if not cyber-hostage taking. We are already seeing a spike in cyber-attacks, including on remote connection services.”
