An humble attempt to discover how Covid-19 and such evolving events shape global cyber security landscape and organizations' security posture in the future. Lately I had an opportunity to present this to the CEO of a Silicon Valley based Cyber Security leader (I'm glad that he invited me for a beer soon after my presentation).

1. COVID-19, Evolving Cyber Threats
How this evolving event shapes the cyber security and threat landscapes
Monday, 11th April 2020.
Arun Kannoth
Senior Presales, Solution Architect – Technology & Platforms
LinkedIn | arunkan@outlook.com | +974 3001 8009
| Presented By

2. | Agenda
• COVID-19, Situation at a Glance
• Some Cyber Security FAQs During COVID-19
• Cyber Attacks – Evolving Causes
• Hacker’s View on COVID-19
• Cyber Attacks During COVID-19
• COVID-19 in Enterprises’ Eye
• Future Cyber Security Coverage
• Discussions

3. Covid-19, Situation at a Glance
Where are we heading to?

4. | COVID-19, Recent History of Pandemics
Pandemic - Today and a bit from history.
COVID-19 As of Today, 11th April 2020 Recent History of Pandemics

5. | COVID-19, Projected Global GDP Impacts
“Global GDP 2020
could slide or fall
sharply due to
COVID-19 outbreak.”
“Situation is very
dynamic, an accurate
prediction would be
challenging.”
As of 23rd March 2020

6. | COVID-19, Projected Industry Impacts
“Banking, Financial
Services, Insurance
and Public Sector are
predicted to be more
resilient.”
“This is ‘as of now’,
more impacts of
pandemic is yet to
come out.”
As of 23rd March 2020

7. Cyber Security FAQs, COVID-19
Significant questions for Cyber Security researchers.

8. | Cyber Security FAQs During COVID-19
Would any human be able
to even think of taking
advantage of such a sad
situation?
Should the cyber security
experts address a pandemic
situation that comes very
rarely?
Are there any serious cyber
security attacks taking place
leveraging the COVID-19
panic?
How is the present posture
of organizations during
COVID in a Cyber Security
perspective?
How the organizations are
likely to handle the
emerging COVID-19
situation?
What are the future
transformations areas for
the Cyber Security Experts
to consider?
1
2
3
4
5
6

9. Cyber Attacks - Evolving Causes
Why hackers are taking advantage of this alarming situation?

10. | Cyber Attack Causes, Evolution
When the humanity is fighting pandemic, some people are busy exploiting. Why?
Experimental Individual Organized Business Political1 2 3 4 5
• Tweaking into
computers
• Destruction of data
• Corrupt files
• Stealing information
• Stealing files
• Gaining control over
computers
• Destroying websites
• Monetize Data
• Monetize Personal
Details
• Monetize Official
Information
• Target Enterprises
• Form Hacking Groups
• Contract Attacks and
Monetize
• Research AI and ML
• Sponsored by Govt.
• Highly organized
• Targeting Economies
• Targeting Researches
• Weaponized AI and
ML
Early Developing Developed Advancing Advanced
. .
. .
• Tweaking into
computers
• Destruction of data
• Corrupt files
• Stealing information
• Stealing files
• Gaining control over
computers
• Destroying websites

11. Hackers’ View on COVID-19
How cyber criminals approaching a pandemic?

12. | A Pandemic is a Perfect Time
Shortage of
hardware
Shortage of
security systems
Shortage of
human skills
Pending, Delayed
Project deliveries
Increase of
manipulated news
Increased supply
chain failures
Increase of
dissatisfied staff
A pandemic brings a lot of panic and disruption. It’s a stress and vulnerability test for organizations.
Shortage of
budget

13. Cyber Attacks During COVID-19
How cyber attackers have been exploiting the situation?

14. Phishing
Emails
Malware
Ransom
ware
DOS
attacks
Trojan
| Hackers Capitalizing The COVID-19 Panic
Spikes of cyber attacks are observed during early 2020 and still going on.
Enterprises’ compromises due to sudden
upscaling of devices and VPNs
Leveraging the softened networks, their
never-tested theoretical BC policies
Policy compliance violations, outdated
software in the end-user machines
3
4
5
Forced adoption of technology across
comparatively less tech-savvy people2
Panic situation, The curious nature of the
human psyche in times of uncertainty1

15. | Expert Studies During COVID-19
Most frequently used methods for deployment of malware.
Emails
Bad domains, Web Links
Malicious AttachmentsApps, Text Messages
| Research By

16. | Spikes in Domain Registrations
There is a sudden increase in creating domains, luring users to COVID-19 topics.
United Nations1
Banks, Insurance4
Health Organizations3
Governmental Agencies2
| Impersonating

17. | Notable Cyber Attacks During COVID-19

18. COVID-19 in Enterprises’ Eye
How enterprises and organizations are looking at the situation?

19. | How Enterprises Looking At COVID-19
• Ensure remote access to all existing work force
• Issue new gadgets and devices for supporting remote work
• Ensure the security and compliance of the newly added devices
• Ensure to address the newly shaped cyber security landscape
• Manage and orchestrate the newly increased remote work load
• Increase the capacity for self-service
• Enable more abilities in sales, service and delivery through digital
• Enable remote experiences with a personal touch
• Embrace opportunities to adapt products or capacity for current
demand
• Redefine employability and work culture
• Accelerate the transformation areas and dispersed work
• Bring new channels, supply chains - make them more resilient
• Achieve the ability to upscale and downscale operations
• Redefine the security and policies compliance posture
Expanding IT
Workplace and Access
New Methods
Address Market
Demands
Future Goals
Vital Transformations
Every industry is economically hurting, it’s time for technology to offer an extra mile.

20. | COVID-19, Ensuring Business Continuity
Enable Remote
Working1
Open More Digital
Channels2
Establish a Single
Source of Truth3
Alternate Supply
Chains4
Enable Business
Continuity Plans 1
Run Disaster
Recovery Plans 2
Activate Risk
Mitigation Plans 3
Aggressive Cloud
Strategy 4
Training,
Enablement5 VPN for All 5
| Key Focus | Key Strategy

21. | COVID-19, How to Secure
Harness the Cloud’s
Scalability and Cost-
Effectiveness
Gain the highest Level of
Security regardless of Where
Employees Are Located
Rely on Simple Security
Architecture That Delivers
Comprehensive Visibility
Ensure Proper Endpoint
Protection, Delivered as a
Service
Plan for BYOD (bring your
own device) devices
Sensitive data may be
accessed through unsafe
Wi-Fi networks
Cybersecurity hygiene and
visibility will be critical
Continued education is
crucial, as coronavirus-
themed scams escalate
4
Have a cybersecurity
policy that includes
remote working
Crisis management and
incident response plans need
to be executable by a remote
workforce

22. Future Areas of Cyber Security
What are the major areas that the cyber security should address next?

23. | The Future
Cyber Security Must Address
Highly advanced
connectivity
Shifting client
loads to cloud
Emerge new
business use cases
Obsolete
physical office
Connected and
smart society
Redefine
employability
Next generation cyber security,
AI-ML defense and analysis.
Reducing Gaps
Economy and Tech1
New Tech
Alliances for Good4
Investing in Social,
Digital Innovations3
Internet for All2
| Global Strategies

24. | COVID-19, An Accelerator
Digital Platforms
and AI, ML
Smart Cities
and Parks
Connected
Healthcare
Online
Education
Remote Office,
Virtual Office
5G Industry
Applications
Unmanned
Commerce
Fresh food
ecommerce
Supply chain
advancement
Advanced
Robots
The COVID-19 situation would accelerate research and wide adoption in below areas.

25. Discussions
Looking at it through different perspectives.