The Pentagon has reportedly witnessed an increase in cyberattacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a statement made by officials on Monday. Hackers are aiming to exploit restrictions due to the virus that has enforced work-from-home movements. The surge in cyberattacks is particularly concerning for government agencies such as the Defense Department as it is harder to uphold cybersecurity standards when employees are telecommuting.
According to Air Force Lt. Gen. B.J. Shwedo, there has been a surge in COVID-19 related spear-phishing attacks. Shwedo oversees a military task force that aims to protect teleworking staff from cyberattacks. The threat is particularly severe for military and other US agencies during this time, as more than 4 million people rely on Defense Department networks to telework. Employees are also using secure video and audio connections. The reliance on technology that COVID-19 has furthered and made necessary is putting US agencies at a high risk for critical cyberattacks.
Read More: Hackers Exploit Coronavirus to ‘Surge’ Attacks on the Pentagon