Cyber Security in a Post-COVID World

A crisis presents an opportunity! So it has been for the last two years amidst the covid pandemic. The worst of the covid seems to be over, which is why it is possible to imagine a post-covid world. The opportunities came in two phases. Firstly, everyday life shut down globally, and all the action shifted online. What a mighty break it presented to online businesses with the work-from-home culture! Suddenly, the whole world went online, working, searching for recreation, hobbies, games, and training programs to fill the vacant hours. Programmers and software engineers, the video industry, and social media had business expanding a hundred-fold overnight.

Prospects opened up for Cybercrime

Infinite activity online, even on personal devices and shared systems, public networks, and weak security put cybersecurity at significant risk. Hacking and ransomware, identity theft, and breaching systems have become more frequent. Initially, all was well, like the environment relaxing with stresses gone like vehicular pollution. The shock at the onset of the pandemic provided some sort of escape. Even crime took a break, or so it seemed. The robust digital infrastructure witnessed ample security breaches when everybody realized that covid was not going away anytime soon. Though digital programs are supposed to measure perfectly, people still determine the extent of all that happened. The number of covid casualties, too, is being hotly debated, with estimates varying a great deal.

Exposed Digital Weakness

Setting up remote workstations overnight, using personal devices, and virtual private networks with no time to test were some handicaps. Testing and security were forgotten in the crisis. How different the deserted offices looked in the middle of 2020! Two years later, as 2022 ends, it might be possible to prepare for a positive 2023. The cybersecurity war must continue. There is no giving up. Mega companies did not suffer much since they had already designed remote work. Small and medium-sized companies suddenly had to adapt and change. Many small fish were swallowed up and became extinct.

Zero Trust

The target is clear: every user needs to go through verification at different levels according to the sensitivity of the task. Complete access should not be granted but only according to the duty to be done within specific departments. Whether within the company or externally, the validation process must be sincerely followed to confirm identity. Blind trust has been revealed to contain many loopholes. John Kindervag came up with the phrase zero trust, which indicates universal verification with no faith in anybody.

Brute force often Succeeds

Manually or through bots, the trial-and-error method sometimes succeeds in breaching cybersecurity. Trying various encryption keys, passwords, names, and dates and breaking into an account is only the beginning. The dark web provides a long list of possible passphrases, and it is a tough job to systematically try them out one by one. It is like using a bunch of keys to find the right one. Remote desktop support came up suddenly with numerous servers to cope with the strain of remote working and WFH. These hastily set up networks and often on old operating systems attracted many brute force attacks. Installations of malware and ransomware follow an illegal entry. Movement through the network happens quickly, and immense damage is the result.

Phishing and VPN Targets

Beware of links. Sending links with attractive invitations to click on is still a standard method of attack. Theft of user data follows like credit card numbers. Opening emails or text messages often reveals such evil intentions. Urgent-looking messages with misspelled domain names and badly-written emails indicate phishing. The sudden ill-prepared spread of virtual private networks has weaknesses, and hackers constantly watch for such weak spots to launch attacks.

Remote Working is here to Stay

Just like covid is not leaving in a hurry, humanity has learned valuable lessons of remote working through recent experiences. The advantages include convenience, saving time and money, and cooperating globally on projects. Though offices are now opening up, it is only partially back to workplaces like earlier. A combination of WFH and partial office attendance would be the best solution, a compromise with solid advantages.

Points to Ponder in Earnest

• A similar or different pandemic striking
• Disordered global supply chains
• Recession in the world economy
• Bankruptcies of mega-companies
• Unsuccessful company recoveries post-pandemic
• Data fraud and cyberattacks
• Curbs on people and goods moving internationally

The Immense Scale of Helplessness

Over 80% of companies allow workers to use personal devices during covid lockdowns, and at least 70% lack cybersecurity protection. With the increase in VPNs comes more risk with fraudsters targeting unpatched VPNs. Zero trust does help with minute attention to valid access with many restrictions and manifold authentication. Secure access service edge (SASE) and similar services provide comprehensive security management.

Healthcare and Finance Concerns

Among the worst covid sufferers were the overburdened hospitals that are now improving. Hackers realized that ransomware would work directly in the crisis by upsetting computer systems. Hospitals without comprehensive cybersecurity did pay the price. The finance sector also suffered several leaks and data breaches in 2019, and 5G may make it easier for fraudsters.

Embracing AI and Cloud Technology

A blessing in disguise, covid has hastened artificial intelligence and working in the cloud. Having settled well into remote working, effective cybersecurity remains the next challenge. Exploring innovative cybersecurity approaches with more and more internet users and more critical data at risk is the answer. Updated cybersecurity tools and systems in the company are the only solutions like a raft out at sea.

The Great Sufferers

• Widespread digital education that has spread the light even in remoteness through technology is severely affected. Virtual schools are a great advantage and need to beat the cybersecurity dangers. Even without adequate teachers and educational infrastructure, online education could improve millions of kids’ lives.

• Crucial healthcare uses robotic technology to carry out everyday hospital tasks like waste disposal. Worries arise about their digital safety in the face of hacking.

• Virtual retail companies need finer technologies like augmented reality and computer vision.

Conclusion

Close attention to the need for cybersecurity tools and programs should be followed up with a plan of action and appropriate budgets. Restricting access is a basic need since damage happens after illegal intrusions have successfully taken place. Having already learned about malicious links, phishing, and fake emails, it is time to specialize in tackling the dangers with AI and advanced technologies. Like the drug trade, hacking may not be exterminated, but effective control is the need of the moment. Leave it to the expert cybersecurity organizations.