Cyber adversaries exploiting global pandemic at enormous scale: FortiGuard Labs

Cyber adversaries

Cyber Criminals are targeting remote work in a bid to gain access to enterprise networks and critical data, reveals FortiGuard Labs.

Cyber adversaries

Fortinet, cybersecurity solutions provider, today announced the findings of the latest semiannual FortiGuard Labs Global Threat Landscape Report.

  • FortiGuard Labs threat intelligence from the first half of 2020 demonstrates the dramatic scale at which cybercriminals and nation-state actors leveraged a global pandemic as an opportunity to implement a variety of cyberattacks around the world. The adaptability of adversaries enabled waves of attacks targeting the fear and uncertainty in current events as well as the sudden abundance of remote workers outside the corporate network, which quickly expanded the digital attack surface overnight.
  • Although many compelling threat trends were related to the pandemic, some threats still had their own drivers. For example, ransomware and attacks targeting Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices as well as operational technology (OT) are not diminishing, but are instead evolving to become more targeted and more sophisticated.
  • At a global level, the majority of threats are seen worldwide and across industries,with some regional or vertical variation. Similar to the COVID-19 pandemic, a certain threat might have started in one area but eventually spreads almost everywhere, meaning most organizations could face the threat. There are of course regional differences in infection rates based on factors such as policies, practices, or response.
  • For a detailed view of the report,as well as some important takeaways, read theblog.Highlights of the report follow.

    Also Read:Will the COVID Induced Digital Boom Inflate Cybersecurity Budget Across BFSI Industry?

Michael Joseph, Director System Engineering, India & SAARC, Fortinet says, “The first six months of 2020 witnessed an unprecedented cyberthreat landscape. The dramatic scaleand rapidevolution of attack methods demonstrate the nimbleness of adversaries to quickly shift theirstrategies to maximizethe current events centered around the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe. There has never been a clearer picture than now, of why organizations need to adjust their defense strategies going forwardto fully take into account the network perimeter extending into the home. It is critical for organizations to take measures to protect their remote workers and help them secure their devices and home networks for the long term. It is also wise to consider adopting the same strategy for cyber viruses that we are adopting in the real world. Cyber social distancing is all about recognizing risks and keeping our distance.”

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