COVID-19 forced companies to rely on less secure personal networks and devices; cyber thieves took advantage of the shift during the first quarter of 2020.
On June 9, Beazley Breach Response (BBR) Services released their quarterly breach insights report for the first quarter of 2020, detailing cyber attack trends emerging amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here are some new scams to look out for and how organizations shifting to an entirely remote workforce can protect their data and networks.
Key Figures: Overall, BBR Services noted a 25% increase in the number of reported ransomware incidents compared to the last quarter of 2019. The manufacturing sector was hardest hit, notching a 156% increase in such attacks, while service providers for banks, credit unions and health care organizations — typical ransomware targets — also reported a spike in incidents.
Curiously, business email compromise attacks dropped by 16%.
The decrease is attributed to two possible factors: Employees shifting to remote work were initially less responsive to email as they navigated the challenges that…
