During a time when people are on their computers, phones and home internet more than ever before, there is evidence that criminals are taking advantage of the new normal.
Amid a pandemic forcing many people to work from home, individuals and businesses who let their guards down are more susceptible to online hackers. We are seeing an increase in information being stolen and sold online, more accounts being hacked and more fraudulent emails making their way to inboxes.
Many businesses were not prepared to move entire workforces online in a matter of days following stay-at-home orders. And with so many employees working remotely, already overworked IT employees are overwhelmed.
Cyber criminals are taking advantage of the dispersed workforce by enhancing their scams to try to hack companies’ systems. We are seeing a broader move toward scams meant to shut down entire systems and subsequent ransomware demands, or scams meant to entice companies to wire transfer money to fictitious accounts.
Individuals and businesses should watch out for:
Social engineering scams
This is when a hacker engineers an email (maybe from the CEO to the billing department) that tries to get the…
