Health crisis and it security crisis

For years now, computer security has been an important aspect that states have approached differently, compared to the beginning of the computer age.

This is clearly understandable. Computer attacks have increased in intensity. With the increasing digitization of administrations and industries, the stakes are far too high. The health crisis that the world has been experiencing for the past 1 year has also demonstrated how all factors, even outside of IT, influence the security of terminals. In this regard, Charles Thibout, an associate researcher at IRIS, explains: "The magnitude of the current crisis, through its effects on social and political systems, tends to saturate consciences and, in so doing, obscures previous problems that have not died out with it. This is of course the case with cyberattacks. The fact is that individuals, businesses, and even states and international organizations have their attention monopolized by the health crisis, which increases their fragility."

This article will also interest you: Hospitals much more vulnerable to cyberattacks because of the health crisis

During the first quarter of 2020, the Japanese it security company Trend Micro reported that:

– 907,000 spams

– 737 computer incidents caused by malware

– 48,000 malicious URLs, all relating to The CoVid-19

In the third quarter of 2020, the trend clearly increased. Because even though computer attacks have decreased in some way, it has still been listed by the Japanese company:

– 3 million email attacks

– 15,000 malware

– More than 1 million malicious URLs

According to figures provided by Interpol, which since the beginning of the health crisis has been assessing the increase in computer attacks, cyberattacks linked to the coronavirus pandemic have also increased markedly. The main threats include:

– Phishing accounting for 59% of incidents

– Kemalwares and ransomwares to the tune of 36%

– Malicious domain names for 22% of cases

– Subversion operations at 14%

Today, experts estimate phishing attacks at nearly 79% of cyber-malicious acts, while the use of fraudulent domain names rises to 8%.

"The value of these attacks in such circumstances is well understood: the legitimate concern of individuals and organizations, moreover in the context of the massification of telework, has made it easier for attackers to pose as official institutions (Ministries of Health, WHO…), by creating fraudulent domain names or sending phishing emails from false addresses to obtain identification data. , passwords, transmitting attachments to exploit vulnerabilities, etc." stresses Charles Thibout. "The announcements of the various governments have also supported these attacks, for example, by promising exceptional tax exemptions, which has made it easier for criminals to defraud their victims by imitating government sites or replicating applications to embezzle funds or collect personal data. Not to mention the escalating attacks on critical infrastructure and vital organizations, such as hospitals: in this case, ransomware-affected organizations were often forced to pay the ransom, simply because people's lives were at stake. He adds

With the coronavirus pandemic, we found ourself in a rather complicated situation because no one had been able to anticipate such a problem. The situation is unprecedented. This creates a rate of complexity. Unfortunately, it is clear that states have mismanaged this crisis. "To such an extent that, as has been repeatedly established, the rulers lied to the governed, in part because their legitimacy was at stake- especially since the political coordinates of Western societies tend to equate the ruler with an expert, a "knowing" as the researcher points out. An image that was already wrong, unfortunately led to a certain laxity on the part of the governed. They have not been able to take the necessary measures to protect themselves. Unfortunately, relying on the measures that had to be taken by governments. As a result, cybercrime has benefited from the situation and especially the confusion of the moment. It has settled firmly.

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