International. The COVID-19 pandemic and its social context are the perfect scenario for cybercrime to continue booming. What has changed for criminals? The pandemic has become an opportunity, according to a recent security report by ESET Latin America, 60% of companies in the region claim to have suffered at least one incident during the last year.
"Cybercriminals have stepped up their efforts with a clear lucrative goal: from social engineering hoaxes, phishing or ransomware to disinformation campaigns and fake news. Without forgetting, of course, sexual crimes, a threat that increases with remote schooling and with the time spent by minors connected without supervision, "explain teachers of the Studies of Informatics, Multimedia and Telecommunications of the Open University of Catalonia (UOC).
As COVID-19 continues to persist around the world, a further increase in cybercrime is very likely in the coming months. Attracted by the vulnerability of remote work systems and the potential for greater financial benefit, it is possible for cybercriminals to develop more advanced and sophisticated modi operandi.
Prevention and reporting
The UOC's cybersecurity experts highlight some essential tips to avoid falling victim to a cybercrime: ignore the links that arrive in suspicious emails, use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication for confidential accounts and rely only on updates provided by official health organizations.
In addition, they advise always reporting cases of cybercrime: "Not reporting can hinder a broader police investigation. The more victims report a crime, the more data the police authorities can collect and therefore the more likely it is that connections can be made between different crimes," say the UOC experts. To this end, prevention must be strengthened and a culture of empathy and transparency developed to protect victims and prevent their re-victimization.
Trends indicating an increase in cybercrime
1- 60% of households in Latin America have internet.
2- Around 155 million people in Latin America make purchases online.
3- 39% of organizations do not have security policies and only 28% classify their information, according to data from We Live Security.
4- Cybercrime costs Latin America around $90 billion a year, according to LACNIC.
5- With the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in cyber attacks has been detected through: Spam, Phishing, Disruptive Malware, Data Collection Malware, Malicious Domains, BEC Attacks, Fake News.
6- With the introduction of teleworking on a global scale, exposure to risk increases, and security failures of systems can be exploited to commit crimes.
7- New objectives: Large companies, essential infrastructures and governments, play a fundamental role in the response to the pandemic, to maximize the extent of the damage and economic income.
8- New criminal opportunities: the growing use of the internet for social relations generates new risks, related to activities such as sexting.
