Data breaches exposed 16 billion records, including credit cards, home addresses, phone numbers and other personal information in June 2020.
That’s a 273% increase compared to Q1 2019, making the first quarter of 2020 the worst period in data breach history, with a reported 8 billion records exposed.
Inga Goddijn, Executive Vice President, Risk-Based Security, in a 2020 Q1 Report Data Breach Quick View, writes, “… the slow-motion disaster of the coronavirus wreaks havoc around us? Similarly, I will be the first to admit, staying focused this quarter has been a challenge. However, as we adapt to the new normal and take stock of events. It’s clear that COVID-19 impacts practically every aspect of life. Breach activity is no exception.”
Malicious attacks thrive in chaos, exploiting fear and uncertainty and creating opportunities for hackers. Moreover, During COVID-19, phishing attacks disguised as government pandemic updates stole data and spread malware. IT workers and frontline employees began working from home, a shift in vulnerabilities, attracting hackers, creating that perfect storm.
How has the pandemic increased data breaches?
Above all, the pandemic took everyone by surprise. It forced companies to let go of employees or shift to remote-based working from home. The shift happened so fast that cybersecurity dragged behind—it created a gap between the workplace and the home-workplace. It was in that gap where hackers found opportunity.
Cyology labs can fill in the gap. We are cybersecurity experts. Call us for information on the next steps to augment your cybersecurity capabilities
