In 2019, Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks – a long-standing cybersecurity threat – accounted for $1.7 billion in losses, with cybercriminals using new tactics and techniques to carry out existing attacks. As cybercrime spikes in the wake of COVID-19, BEC’s toll is expected to rise this year. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) recently issued a warning to businesses on the growing threat of BEC attacks using the pandemic as a backdrop for unusual requests like payments to a “new” vendor or a change of account information.
Security magazine is pleased to announce our 2020 Most Influential People in Security – 22 top security executives and industry leaders who are positively impacting the security field, their organization, their colleagues and peers, and the national and global security landscape.
Network administrators have long been stretched thin in their attempts to maintain global endpoint security settings, configurations and patching. Now that most, if not all, of their organization’s employees are connecting remotely, the job has become even more difficult.
Remote work is testing organizations, putting their IT departments under great stress. Like employees, many companies were unprepared for the many challenges of this seismic shift, one of which has been the dramatic changes in network and enterprise boundaries. Suddenly, securing endpoints became — and continues to be — a top concern.
The unfolding COVID-19 crisis has been the most significant test of the world’s internet infrastructure to date. With employers and schools moving to remote environments, the expectation was that the expanded use of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) tools like video conferencing would lead to crippling levels of web traffic. On top of that, experts anticipated the increase in internet use would prompt a corresponding rise in network attacks from cybercriminals. Many in the industry were concerned that the internet would not be able to sustain these unseen levels of duress.
Here, we talk to Mohit Tiwari, CEO and co-founder of Symmetry Systems, about the current threat landscape, the role of CISOs and the unique challenges COVID-19 and work-from-home (WFH) pose to CISOs and security teams.
As the pandemic continues to interrupt business as usual, companies are exploring new ways to cope with both the mandated and voluntary restrictions to their operations. One way in which business models have adapted to keep costs under control is by utilizing more lone workers for opening, closing, third shifts, curbside deliveries and other customer interactions outside of the premises. While this has helped many organizations trim costs, it has also exposed lone workers to greater risks.
Banks, like other businesses, are taking precautions to make customers feel safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Placing physical distancing markers on the floor, sanitizing ATMs, installing plexiglass partitions at teller booths and requiring scheduled appointments are just some of the ways financial institutions are mitigating risks for customers. Video surveillance can play a vitally important role right now, as banks look to ensure compliance with these new COVID-related safety measures. IP cameras with intelligent security analytics can help rapidly and accurately detect compliance issues, as well as other suspicious or atypical behavior. After all, banks must continue to monitor physical security even throughout the pandemic and today’s IP cameras with intelligent system-on-chip (SoC) technology can help lessen this burden with highly accurate notifications.
After months of social distancing, the coronavirus remains a serious public health challenge. As states across the country devise plans to reopen their local economies, government agencies and private healthcare providers are hungry for reliable data.
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