The Coronavirus Pandemic can be witnessed around the world and as we speak. Google and Facebook have already announced that their employees will work from home till 2021.
So is the case with all Big IT firms!
Now, as we try to adjust our lives accordingly, there are major threats looming amongst us and that are the Cybercriminals who won’t let go of the opportunity to disrupt the whole process.
Europe’s law enforcement agency Europol has already warned that the attacks will rise in case of the global spread. Hence, these criminals want to make huge profits through hacking and cybercrime.
Well, these guys are already evidently busy, seen through the increase of attacks, some of which include phishing emails and spam campaigns tricking the common people into providing information that is sensitive in nature.
Is there a way to handle these attacks?
The short answer is debatable!
Cybercriminals are smart and they innovate their attacks quite frequently. They will continue to deploy various malware and ransomware packages designed around the Covid-19.
Exploitation is the keyword here.
As more and more people adapt to their new lifestyle by working at home, cybercriminals will lookout for different ways of exploitation by targeting the remote workforce, only for their own gain, as most of us have never been in this kind of situation before.
Thus, with the help of phishing and malware attacks, we end up giving our critical information.
“Seize the opportunity!” has always been taken very positively, but in this case, it’s the other way round.
Organized crime has always been ready to adapt and attack, which reminds me, you need to be vigilant always!
Zoom’s popularity on the rise
Yes, the new application has garnered some rave reviews and companies are using it for their daily communication with the employees. Be it any sector, IT, Health, Finance, Marketing or Education, it’s the “Now” go-to app for everyone.
But, are we safe using this tool?
Yet again people working from home is an opportunity for cybercriminals who clearly want to take advantage by introducing a new campaign. They trick the remote workforce into installing RevCode WebMonitor RAT.
Awareness is the key here.
Research tells us that the software doesn’t belong to Zoom’s own download centre or any official app stores for that matter. So, doesn’t this tell you that the app comes from third-party websites?
Then why do people still download this third party software?
Emails are designed for this very purpose where people are drawn into clicking the malicious links.
What happens next?
The complete control of your system!
In simple terms, everything is compromised. They can now track and observe any activity that you do on the internet.
The simple solution is to avoid such kind of emails and always download from a trusted source.
Home Based Routers are also attacked
Is there an end to this menace?
Millions are working remotely and as a result are prone to attacks, which was discussed earlier. As the numbers expand of workspaces which connects you to your companies, the attacks expand too. Most companies have been advocating on the use of a VPN to connect to the corporate network in order to access files, applications and all kinds of resources.
For instance, TheVPNExperts educates you on every aspect of online privacy and security.
However, there is a downside to it!
While working from home, malware infections can be obtained which can spread quickly throughout the company.
The businesses around the world have been disrupted in the wake of Covid-19 but remember that cybercriminals have become a disruptive force as well.
So, with home-based routers, DNS is a key vulnerability. How?
Ask any IT professional and they will tell you how critical DNS is to any network. In laymen terms, it works as an interpreter, which answers all types of queries daily by connecting to websites, domain controllers and email services.
DNS is very important from the perspective of a company as it is completely safeguarded behind a robust security system.
However, there are disadvantages when it comes down to home-based DNS routers which are provided by ISP’s. And, unlike companies, we do not have the will or expertise to secure it. As a result, the attacks have grown and will likely grow further.
The hackers can make changes to the DNS configuration and we don’t even notice it!
How can you protect your workforce?
First things first, tell them to change default credentials on their home router and update the firmware. Make sure it’s always updated.
Secondly, Cloud is the next big thing in future, try to move everything on the cloud instead of relying on applications installed in your companies. Cloud offers far more agility and scalability to meet the growing challenges in the wake of hackers and cybercriminals.
Conclusion
Internet scammers will continue to take advantage of the tragedy for their own gain. The companies and government need to work in a close relationship by educating the masses on how to protect themselves.
The worst is yet to come!