What creates a perfect opportunity for hackers? Distraction. It’s as simple as that. In order for phishing emails to hook an unknowing victim, he or she has to believe that they are reacting to a legitimate email. When that victim happens to be one of your employees, things can really get tricky.
The COVID-19 Coronavirus has taken us all by surprise. And yet, in an unprecedented move, companies nationwide are heeding the advice of the experts and doing their part to slow the spread of the disease. How? By sending their employees home to work.
In 2017 it was estimated that 5.2% of the U.S. workforce – that’s 8 million people - worked from home.1 Imagine the numbers amid COVID-19. For employers, the pandemic provides a less-than-ideal remote working situation, full of distractions. Make-shift office settings have been constructed, often in the middle of the family living or dining room and alongside other working family members. Employees are struggling with newly implemented technologies in order to be successful remotely. And everywhere, workers are dealing with children home from school, family pets, and of course, the stress that comes from keeping loved ones safe from the virus.
Sadly, it all plays out as the perfect cybercrime setting.
Consider these scenarios:
- Distracted employee #1 opens an email they believe is from a vendor. They click on a link that takes them to a phishing website.
- Distracted employee #2 receives a malicious email they think came from your Human Resources department and they end up downloading malware as a result.
- Distracted employee #3 falls prey to a Business Email Compromise (BEC) scam and provides a hacker with confidential company information.
- Distracted employee #4 inadvertently exposes your entire customer base to identity theft when he or she shares login information to someone they think is a coworker struggling with working virtually.
- Distracted employee #5 is charged with quickly implementing direct deposit for all employees and vendors and doesn’t notice that a phishing email isn’t from a legitimate company.
COVID-19 has created a new normal for us all. The temporary shutdown of malls, restaurants, bars, and other non-essential operations will force many businesses to close…and the possibility of a recession looms. To make matters worse, a new report from the FBI revealed that cybercrime cost U.S. individuals and companies $3.5 billion in losses in 2019. 2 Now, more than ever, is the time to keep your company protected.
A Tool to Fight COVID-19 Phishing Scams
So, what’s being done? While many companies are scrambling to keep up with the changes the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has brought, INKY Technologies has released a new tool to aid in the fight against Coronavirus (COVID-19) phishing scams. It is just what these unprecedented times demand.
INKY, a cloud-based email security solution, recently released a new set of banners which are designed to stand out to users amid all of the distractions. As INKY catches COVID-19 phishing scams its banners reflect the danger ahead. Here are two examples:
Like the virus itself, the number of COVID-19 phishing scams is growing rapidly. Only INKY calls them out by name and keeps employees protected in the office and while working remotely.
Keep hackers at bay and your business safe, especially during this unprecedented time of COVID-19 by requesting a demonstration today.
In closing, during this uncertain time, the entire INKY team would like to extend its best wishes to everyone impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including those diagnosed with the virus, their families, caregivers, healthcare workers, and those whose schools, jobs, or business have been affected. As we work together as a nation to fight the spread of this disease, our hearts are with you and your families.
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INKY® is the emerging hero in the war against phishing. An award-winning cloud-based email security solution, INKY® prevents the most complex phishing threats from disrupting or even immobilizing your company’s day-to-day business operations. Using computer vision, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, INKY® is the smartest investment you can make in the security of your organization. INKY® is a proud winner of the NYCx Cybersecurity Moonshot Challenge and finalist in the 2020 RSAC Innovation Sandbox Competition. Learn more about INKY® or request an online demonstration today.
1Source: https://qz.com/work/1392302/more-than-5-of-americans-now-work-from-home-new-statistics-show/
2Source: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2019-internet-crime-report-released-021120