Expect the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic to bring lasting changes to our lives, from the way we authenticate identity to how we open doors – and even use public restrooms. If there’s a theme among these changes, it’s that they will favor contactless solutions. The use of biometrics to authenticate employees and customers has snowballed over the last decade. Expect demand from public and private organizations to grow even faster as they require accurate identification of workers, students, patients and many more people in response to new challenges resulting from the virus.
The Wall Street Journal recently stated that commercial burglaries have almost doubled in New York City since March 12 when a state of emergency was declared. Reason being, thieves are targeting nonessential businesses that have shuttered locations as a result of government directives or are robbing essential businesses that would likely have more cash on hand. Multiple retail organizations are also reporting an increase in shoplifting attempts and point of sale shrink since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak. In times like these, as a rise in theft, burglaries and other disturbances are expected, security is more important than ever.
Hospitals are where people go to seek treatment, recover, and address critical injuries. It is the place where doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers devote themselves to helping people who need medical attention. In addition to this critical focus, a hospital also has to protect against unauthorized access, theft of medications or sensitive patient information, and guard against workplace violence, which affects hospitals more than other industries. At the same time, they must maintain a level of accessibility and openness, which presents difficulties as it relates to security.
Los Angeles International Airport announced the launch of its Terminal Wellness Project that deploys thermal camera technology that can help identify travelers with an elevated body temperature.
Hackers will always exploit a crisis, and the coronavirus outbreak is no different. Since January, cybercriminals have leveraged the COVID-19 pandemic to stage all manner of cyberattacks, from ransomware take-overs of hospital systems to private network hacking. But the latest cybercrime scheme exploits the greatest cybersecurity vulnerability of all: human emotion.
Half of infosec professionals revealed that their organizations didn’t have a contingency plan in place, or didn’t know if they did, for a situation like COVID-19 or a similar scenario.
With treatment plans still far from being perfected, clinical trials just getting underway, and a discovered vaccine a year or so out, preventive methods and detections — in addition to social distancing and donning facial masks — are needed now more than ever in the war against the COVID-19 and any future epidemic outbreaks.
Threat actors launched a cyberattack against the Texas Office of Court Administration, the IT provider for many Texas courts, and encrypted their computer systems with ransomware, leaving those systems useless. Cognizant, which has a large presence in Dallas-Fort Worth and is one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated providers of information technology services for other companies, was hit with ransomware with losses currently estimated between $50 million and $70 million.
Random coronavirus tests will be carried out on a proportion of travelers arriving at Cyprus’ airports as an added layer of protection against the virus’ spread, government officials said.
NY Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the opening of the new Terminal B Arrivals and Departures Hall at LaGuardia Airport that includes new security and safety initiatives.
