Four Ways Disasters Fuel Cyberattacks

In today’s tech-driven environment, your company most likely already confronts multiple obstacles. However, the aftermath of an unanticipated disaster can strain your business. This unintentionally allows cybercriminals to execute harmful attacks, worsening the panic produced by such situations.

Disaster preparedness should be a primary concern for your company, not just for physical resilience but also for strengthening your digital defenses. Understanding how disasters enhance cyberattacks allows you to protect your company from these misleading dangers.

Understanding how disasters amplify cyberthreats

Let’s take a look at four primary ways disasters multiply cyberthreats and techniques you can use to strengthen your cybersecurity posture in the face of hardship.

Leveraging diverted attention and resources

In the event that disaster strikes, the top priority is safety and recovery. Unfortunately, this redirects attention and resources away from the upkeep and security of your IT systems and networks.

With less attention placed on cybersecurity, critical updates and surveillance may be ignored, leaving your networks open to intrusion. Cybercriminals take advantage of this opportunity to access sensitive data and disrupt your operations.

To address this issue, form a specialized team charged with overseeing and upholding cybersecurity, especially during times of crisis. Implement automated security systems that continuously monitor for vulnerabilities and install appropriate patches. You can reduce the danger of cyberattacks by making cybersecurity a priority, especially in difficult times.

Exploiting fear, urgency, chaos and uncertainty

Disasters generate a climate of fear, haste, turmoil, and uncertainty, which is ideal for hackers. They undertake targeted attacks, such as false emails or fake websites, taking advantage of people’s sense of urgency and demand for speedy solutions. Cybercriminals obtain unauthorized access to key systems by tricking people into revealing sensitive information.

To combat this, educate your staff about phishing assaults and social engineering frauds. Teach kids to see red flags, such as questionable emails or requests for private data. Encourage a skepticism and verification culture in which staff double-check the veracity of requests before sharing confidential material.

You may strengthen your defense against cybercriminals who prey on fear and uncertainty by cultivating an alert and aware workforce.

Damaging critical infrastructure

Disasters can severely harm your vital infrastructure, jeopardizing critical components of your cybersecurity procedures. Server, router, and firewall destruction can weaken your security barrier, allowing attackers to exploit security weaknesses.

To take care of this issue, make sure your key infrastructure is protected by backup and disaster recovery. Back up your data on a regular basis, store it securely off-site or in the cloud, and test the restoration procedure to ensure it runs smoothly. Implement comprehensive disaster recovery and business continuity plans, including cybersecurity safeguards.

You may reduce the impact of infrastructure damage on your cybersecurity by keeping resilient infrastructure and verifying your backup and recovery methods on a regular basis.

Impersonation and deception

Following a tragedy, fraudsters frequently take advantage of the trust associated with aid organizations and government institutions. They fool victims by mimicking these trustworthy sources through phishing emails, messages, or phone calls, deceiving them into disclosing personal information or engaging in forged transactions.

To protect yourself from such scams:

• Encourage your staff to double-check the legitimacy of any communication they receive during a disaster.
• Advise them to contact the organization or agency independently through recognized, trusted means to confirm the legitimacy of any demands.
• Create thorough security awareness training programs that educate staff on typical impersonation tactics and teach them how to effectively report them.

You may guard against cybercriminals’ impersonation and deception attempts by creating a culture of caution and verification

Act now to safeguard your business

Now that we understand how cybercriminals can target your business during a disaster, prioritizing disaster readiness and putting the above-mentioned steps in place are critical for navigating today’s ever-changing digital landscape.

If you require expert advice, Atom Creek is here to assist you in strengthening your disaster preparedness and cybersecurity initiatives. Let’s work together to safeguard your company’s long-term viability and security. Contact sales@atomcreek.com right away to protect everything you’ve worked hard to create!