The Importance of Cyber Threats Identification and Countermeasures During the Covid-19 Pandemic Havoc in the U.S.

Alain Loukaka and Shawon Rahman

Abstract

The current COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the economy worldwide and forced employees to shift to a remote workforce. Work from home also emphasized how organizations must effectively protect against cyber threats. Active or persistent threats have now increased and targeted more home users. The increase in cyber-attacks such as DDoS and Phishing, whereas ransomware shows a slight decline. Malicious users have spread misinformation about COVID-19 awareness, which led to many phishing attacks. Users must understand and recognize social engineering attacks and their respective countermeasures. There is a clear correlation between the rise of online users and the increase in cyberattacks, as expressed in the Routine Activity Theory. Crime will essentially increase because motivated criminals can access probable victims, and security is not relatively present. Cyber vigilance is indispensable and critical during the pandemic. Best security practices are necessary to provide a secure communication environment. No single network effectively promotes full-proof protection against sophisticated cyber attackers. Cybersecurity is yet again the most important factor during these unprecedented times.

Keywords

COVID-19, Cyberattack, cybersecurity, Security policy, Social Engineering, Active and Persistent threat, Breach, Hacking, Remote Connection.

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