Bad actors are taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic as cybercrime soars. ChristianaCare Chief Information Security Officer Anahi Santiago talks with Kyle McMahon about what you can do to not become a victim.
Cyber crimes, scams and fraud are skyrocketing, not just in Delaware, but throughout the nation. There has been a 350% increase in online scams in March alone. Bad actors are using the coronavirus pandemic as an opportunity to prey upon people through e-mail, teleconferencing and social media to gain access to accounts, solicit money, wipe systems and just generally cause havoc.
I spoke with Chief Information Security Officer at ChristianaCare, Anahi Santiago, about what is happening with the rise of cybercrime and what precautions you can take to prevent becoming a victim yourself. Santiago said to be very careful about clicking links in any e-mails that you weren't expecting.
She states:
"One of the other scams that we're seeing is a rise in fake donation websites that are tugging on the strings of people so that folks can donate money. That money isn't necessarily going to those organizations. I would encourage people that want to donate or are seeking factual information to go directly to the websites as opposed to responding to e-mails that they're receiving."
With so many people working from home during the coronavirus pandemic, both in Delaware and around the country, scammers are now trying to disrupt teleconferencing and online classrooms. Santiago said, "...They're now intersecting these conferences and actually not only participating in them but disrupting them..."
Resources to keep up to date on the latest cyber scams and frauds
Santiago gave some extremely helpful resources where you can keep on top of the latest cyber scams and frauds. Checking these out periodically, along with best practices like enabling two factor authentication and keeping strong passwords, will help you stay ahead of becoming a victim of cyber crimes.
Parents Ultimate Guide to Cyber Security
Security Awareness Tip Of The Day
You can listen to my entire interview with Ahani Santiago, Chief Information Security Officer of ChristianaCare on Delaware Now or check out the video above.
Check out Kyle Mcmahon and subscribe to the Pop Culture Weekly podcast. You can follow him on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Rizzle and Instagram.