Cybersecurity

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Amid the hysteria over coronavirus (COVID-19), many people know to seek out trusted third-parties for guidance in situations like these, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But lesser known is the fact that phishing scammers have started capitalizing on the wide-spread fear and uncertainty for their benefit by posing as these authoritative agencies.

Brno University Hospital in the Czech Republic, the nation's second largest hospital, has suffered a crippling cyberattack amid the coronavirus outbreak, causing it to suspend scheduled operations. 

As digital security through online portals continually improves and people become more wary of phishing emails, hackers have turned to old fashioned telephone calls to elicit key pieces of personal information they can use for profit. It takes little technical skill—just the ability to sound convincing to vulnerable people over the phone.

Part of any good cybersecurity program rests on spreading good habits and inculcating employees with best practices around handling data and using network resources. In this cybersecurity is as much a behavioral challenge as it as a technological one. That’s precisely why the recent coronavirus outbreak, or COVID-19, is so potentially harmful to a company’s cybersecurity efforts.

vpnMentor’s research team, led by Noam Rotem, recently uncovered a breached database leaking a massive amount of sensitive financial documents online.

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announced a plan to provide $1 million to Iowa counties to assist them with cybersecurity resources ahead of the 2020 elections.

Kevin Larkin has been named the new Chief Information Officer at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, Iowa. 

Hemlock Semiconductor Operations (HSC)  has named Keith Carey as its new chief information officer.

BSU and Northwest Technical College have named Sherry Lawdermilt chief information officer.