Cybersecurity Experts See Increase in Phishing Activities Due To COVID-19

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared that the COVID-19 outbreak had reached the status of a pandemic. Since then, many countries, including Canada, have taken several measures to decrease the spread of this virus, including encouraging businesses to allow employees to work remotely. However, the convenience that comes with working remotely has led to an increase in employee vulnerability to phishing activities.

Employees working remotely likely have less access to IT services offered by their employer; may be using their own computers and unsecure devices; and can be dealing with increased distractions and stress associated with updates related to the pandemic, job security, and the economy. These circumstances create the perfect opportunity for fraudsters to target people via email and texts. For example, fraudsters have:

• sent messages regarding the processing of employment insurance;
• provided links for people to deposit funds from the federal government’s Emergency Response Benefit;
• claimed to be health-related organizations or pharmacies; and
• advertised the sale of personal protective equipment and tools for diagnosing and testing for COVID-19.

Cybersecurity experts have advised people to think twice before clicking or downloading links or attachments they are unsure about. Moreover, people are warned not to respond to requests regarding sensitive information or updating payment information. Taking extra care by checking the domain names of email addresses in order to ensure they are from a reliable source or organization will also reduce the risk of falling victim to scammers. Finally, it may be helpful to update colleagues and one’s organization about any phishing-related messages received to promote awareness and security in the workplace.

Summary By: Juliette Sakran