Mass migration to “life online” plus a slew of coronavirus-related scams create a perfect storm for cybercrime April 2, 2020 – Tampa, FL: Cyber Florida at the University of South Florida has issued a Citizen Threat Advisory to warn Floridians about emerging cybersecurity threats stemming from the COVID-19 crisis. Accompanying the advisory is a whitepaper, “COVID-19=Cybersecurity Risk,” which outlines how the rapid, mass migration of Americans to “life online” has drastically increased the nation’s cybersecurity vulnerability on several fronts. The advisory, whitepaper, and information to help mitigate cyber risk are available online at cyberflorida.org. “This crisis has initiated a cultural shift in our society,” remarked Vice Admiral Mike McConnell, USN, Ret., executive director of Cyber Florida. He continued, “People who may have been reluctant to adopt connected technologies are suddenly finding themselves working, learning, grocery shopping—even dining, in a sense—online. That’s millions of new devices and potential victims for cybercriminals to target. Learning basic cyber hygiene practices now can significantly reduce your risk of becoming a cybercrime victim.” In the whitepaper, Cyber Florida notes that the industry has already seen an explosion of malicious cyber activity since the epidemic began making headlines in January. Cybercriminals are using the public’s demand for COVID-19 information to entice unaware users to click on malicious links. The paper reports, “Phishing emails entreat readers to open attachments and click on links that offer ‘safety measures’ to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Several Android apps posing as ‘coronavirus trackers’ have proven to be fronts for spyware and ransomware.” Citizens are encouraged to visit Cyber Florida’s online Cybersecurity Advisory Center at cyberflorida.org/cac to read the whitepaper and access threat warnings and best practice guidance during this transition period. Cyber Florida, hosted at the University of South Florida, works with the State University System of Florida to support and promote cybersecurity education, research, and outreach. |
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Cyber Florida Cybersecurity Advisory Center: https://cyberflorida.org/cacCitizen Threat Advisory: https://cyberflorida.org/2020/04/01/covid-19-advisory/Whitepaper: COVID-19=Cybersecurity Risk: https://cyberflorida.org/2020/04/01/whitepaper-covid-19cybersecurity-risk/ |