Whenever there is an event that might distract customers or members of the public, cybercriminals will seek to exploit it. Add to that the flow of donations or financial aid, and there is a fertile environment for phishing and other cyber attacks.
So the figures from WHO provide further evidence that it is essential to maintain and adapt cyber security measures for the current crisis ... whether you are a public health organisation, a bank or a private citizen.
Scammers impersonating WHO in emails have also increasingly targeted the general public in order to channel donations to a fictitious fund and not the authentic COVID-19 Solidary Response Fund. The number of cyber attacks is now more than five times the number directed at the Organization in the same period last year.
“Ensuring the security of health information for Member States and the privacy of users interacting with us a priority for WHO at all times, but also particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are grateful for the alerts we receive from Member States and the private sector. We are all in this fight together,” said Bernardo Mariano, WHO’s Chief Information Officer.