An international group of nearly 400 cybersecurity experts have joined hands to fight against the cybercrimes, like hacking and phishing, during the Coronavirus outbreak. The group, called the COVID-19 CTI League, includes professionals from tech majors like Microsoft Corp and Amazon.com Inc. According to a report, there is a huge volume of Coronavirus-related phishing happening in the cyberworld.
Citing one of the four initial managers of the effort, Marc Rogers, Reuters reports that the group’s top priority is to combat hacks against medical facilities and other frontline responders. Another area of their working includes defending communication networks and services, which are being used more than ever due to the work-from-home mandate.
The group says that cybercriminals are using the fear of COVID-19 to trick internet users to enter their sensitive information on malicious websites, and then they carry out attacks on their finances by taking control of their bank accounts. ‘I’ve never seen this volume of phishing. I am literally seeing phishing messages in every language known to man,’ Rogers was quoted as saying. He notes that the group has already dismantled one campaign that spread malicious software.
Meanwhile, Deloitte has released a VMware-commissioned report (via ZDnet), in which it says that Singapore is the hotbed of cyberattacks during the COVID-19 outbreak, but adds that it is also the most prepared country in cybersecurity in the Asia-Pacific region. The report examined 12 markets across the Asia-Pacific region, including India, Australia, Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines. It placed India far below Singapore in terms of exposure and preparedness.
Deloitte's Cyber Smart Index is based on the assessment of businesses’ readiness based on the size of the attack surface, frequency of attacks, the sophistication of the legislative environment, the organisational capability to respond to cyber threats, and the extent of best practices deployed in the country. The report attributes Singapore’s preparedness to its businesses, which believe that cyber risks can be effectively managed and are more willing to invest in technology.
The report notes that Singapore had rolled out a nationwide security masterplan and introduced programmes such as the Co-Innovation and Development Proof of Concept to provide seed funding for the development of the sector. The Monetary Authority of Singapore also introduced a $30 million grant to encourage financial services companies to enhance their cybersecurity measures.
