Cybersecurity During a Crisis: Strategies for CISOs

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus had a serious impact on cyber and information security globally. The pandemic forced many organizations to allow their employees to work strictly from home, introducing security vulnerabilities for bad actors to exploit.

Many corporate employees were and still are using remote networks and login credentials to access company resources and systems – making it easy for an attacker to breach the employees’ network and devices without any detection from the organization’s security team.

During the height of the pandemic, there were several reports of increased activity in phishing attacks and scams where cybercriminals used the coronavirus panic to their advantage. One of the most common attacks of this variety has been hackers posing as legitimate, well-respected organizations (or even your own employer) sending out information on the virus with embedded links or attachments that contain malware. Some reports outlined that these bad actors had even successfully posed as organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

During times of crisis, the threat level is perhaps higher than ever. Organizations and individuals alike need to be aware of these threats and take precautions to reduce risk and strengthen cybersecurity. 

Preparing for a Crisis With Risk & Compliance Integration

An effective cybersecurity framework will account for crisis management needs as well as data protection laws. An integrated IT risk management program harmonizes your organization’s information management processes with regulatory requirements. This equips your risk and compliance teams to enforce privacy and controls across third parties and remote employees, meet industry standards, and assess and manage data security.

Read more | Building an IT Risk Management Framework: 4 Keys to Success >

To survive and thrive through a crisis, it’s increasingly important for CISOs and other IT leaders to gain a full understanding of risks throughout the organization and their impact on strategy, objectives, and performance. An integrated information and technology architecture equips organizations to build a more thoughtful and strategic approach to cybersecurity and resilience management, enhancing risk awareness and breaking down silos across systems, operations, processes, relationships, and data.