Security News > 2020 > August > Security threats have already moved on from COVID-19-themed attacks, report finds

Security threats in the second quarter of 2020 continue to target remote workers, but attackers aren't relying on COVID-19-themed phishing: They're going straight for vulnerable home networks where workers are conducting business.

Managed security provider Nuspire's report on security threats in Q2 2020 said that phishing attempts have ditched the coronavirus in favor of exploiting the upcoming election and Black Lives Matter movement, but that there's been a 12% decline in malware attacks during Q2. SEE: Identity theft protection policy.

In place of malware-laden emails, botnet action has increased by 29%, and exploit attacks that can take advantage of workers in less-secure home offices have increased by 13%. "The pandemic has complicated an already complex threat landscape," said Nuspire CEO Lewie Dunsworth.

What all these threats have in common is that they're well-established, rely on users not installing available security patches, and are a huge risk to professionals working outside of secured enterprise networks.

Remote work creates "More opportunity for threat actors to gain a foothold, [and makes] it harder for security teams to quickly detect and respond to threats with limited resources and bandwidth," the report said.

News URL

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/security-threats-have-already-moved-on-from-covid-19-themed-attacks-report-finds/#ftag=RSS56d97e7