Cybercrime has become a major issue amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report from the International Criminal Police Organization.
Interpol reported on Tuesday that web attacks that once targeted individuals and small businesses have now expanded to hack corporations, governments, and critical infrastructure.
“Cybercriminals are developing and boosting their attacks at an alarming pace, exploiting the fear and uncertainty caused by the unstable social and economic situation created by COVID-19,” said Jurgen Stock, Interpol’s secretary-general.
The pandemic’s prompting millions of employees to work from home makes digital data and security vulnerable to attacks and theft, the report noted.
Between January and April, over 900,000 spam messages, 737 incidents related to malware, and 48,000 malicious URLs related to the pandemic were detected by one of Interpol’s private sector partners. Additionally, the organization also detected an increase in the spread of misinformation.
“Unverified information, inadequately understood threats, and conspiracy theories have contributed to anxiety in communities and in some cases facilitated the execution of cyberattacks,” Interpol said in a release.
Among the 48 member countries that responded to the organization’s cybercrime survey, 30% confirmed they experienced a circulation of false information related to COVID-19. One country said it reported 290 postings, with the majority containing concealed malware in a one-month period.
In addition to incorrect information about the coronavirus coming to light, other cases of misinformation involved scams via mobile text messages with “too good to be true” offers such as free food, special benefits, or large discounts at supermarkets.
Interpol expects there will be another spike in cybercrime as the pandemic continues, especially when a vaccine is developed for the virus.
“When a COVID-19 vaccination is available, it is highly probable that there will be another spike in phishing related to these medical products as well as network intrusion and cyberattacks to steal data,” the organization said.
