Cyber security in the age of COVID-19: A timeline and analysis of cyber-crime and cyber-attacks during the pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic was a remarkable, unprecedented event which altered the lives of billions of citizens globally resulting in what became commonly referred to as the new-normal in terms of societal norms and the way we live and work. Aside from the extraordinary impact on society and business as...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2021
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| _version_ | 1797075365475123200 |
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| author | Lallie, HS Shepherd, LA Nurse, JRC Erola, A Epiphaniou, G Maple, C Bellekens, X |
| author_facet | Lallie, HS Shepherd, LA Nurse, JRC Erola, A Epiphaniou, G Maple, C Bellekens, X |
| author_sort | Lallie, HS |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | The COVID-19 pandemic was a remarkable, unprecedented event which altered the lives of billions of citizens globally resulting in what became commonly referred to as the new-normal in terms of societal norms and the way we live and work. Aside from the extraordinary impact on society and business as a whole, the pandemic generated a set of unique cyber-crime related circumstances which also affected society and business. The increased anxiety caused by the pandemic heightened the likelihood of cyber-attacks succeeding corresponding with an increase in the number and range of cyber-attacks. This paper analyses the COVID-19 pandemic from a cyber-crime perspective and highlights the range of cyber-attacks experienced globally during the pandemic. Cyber-attacks are analysed and considered within the context of key global events to reveal the modus-operandi of cyber-attack campaigns. The analysis shows how following what appeared to be large gaps between the initial outbreak of the pandemic in China and the first COVID-19 related cyber-attack, attacks steadily became much more prevalent to the point that on some days, three or four unique cyber-attacks were being reported. The analysis proceeds to utilise the UK as a case study to demonstrate how cyber-criminals leveraged salient events and governmental announcements to carefully craft and execute cyber-crime campaigns. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:49:26Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:7215e692-6db1-4d7a-a8a8-3ea74bfffc00 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:49:26Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:7215e692-6db1-4d7a-a8a8-3ea74bfffc002022-03-26T19:47:56ZCyber security in the age of COVID-19: A timeline and analysis of cyber-crime and cyber-attacks during the pandemicJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:7215e692-6db1-4d7a-a8a8-3ea74bfffc00EnglishSymplectic ElementsElsevier2021Lallie, HSShepherd, LANurse, JRCErola, AEpiphaniou, GMaple, CBellekens, XThe COVID-19 pandemic was a remarkable, unprecedented event which altered the lives of billions of citizens globally resulting in what became commonly referred to as the new-normal in terms of societal norms and the way we live and work. Aside from the extraordinary impact on society and business as a whole, the pandemic generated a set of unique cyber-crime related circumstances which also affected society and business. The increased anxiety caused by the pandemic heightened the likelihood of cyber-attacks succeeding corresponding with an increase in the number and range of cyber-attacks. This paper analyses the COVID-19 pandemic from a cyber-crime perspective and highlights the range of cyber-attacks experienced globally during the pandemic. Cyber-attacks are analysed and considered within the context of key global events to reveal the modus-operandi of cyber-attack campaigns. The analysis shows how following what appeared to be large gaps between the initial outbreak of the pandemic in China and the first COVID-19 related cyber-attack, attacks steadily became much more prevalent to the point that on some days, three or four unique cyber-attacks were being reported. The analysis proceeds to utilise the UK as a case study to demonstrate how cyber-criminals leveraged salient events and governmental announcements to carefully craft and execute cyber-crime campaigns. |
| spellingShingle | Lallie, HS Shepherd, LA Nurse, JRC Erola, A Epiphaniou, G Maple, C Bellekens, X Cyber security in the age of COVID-19: A timeline and analysis of cyber-crime and cyber-attacks during the pandemic |
| title | Cyber security in the age of COVID-19: A timeline and analysis of cyber-crime and cyber-attacks during the pandemic |
| title_full | Cyber security in the age of COVID-19: A timeline and analysis of cyber-crime and cyber-attacks during the pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Cyber security in the age of COVID-19: A timeline and analysis of cyber-crime and cyber-attacks during the pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cyber security in the age of COVID-19: A timeline and analysis of cyber-crime and cyber-attacks during the pandemic |
| title_short | Cyber security in the age of COVID-19: A timeline and analysis of cyber-crime and cyber-attacks during the pandemic |
| title_sort | cyber security in the age of covid 19 a timeline and analysis of cyber crime and cyber attacks during the pandemic |
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