Three cybersecurity considerations for business clients in the COVID-19 era

Hackers are continually evolving the penetration tactics they use, so it’s critical that businesses continually revise remote work policies to keep up and account for changes. (Photo: Fotolia)

Small businesses across the nation have been forced to adapt or close as a result of mandated shutdowns to minimize COVID-19’s impact. For many business owners, that meant quickly transitioning employees to a work-from-home strategy. And now as state governments map out plans to reopen their economies, business owners may be weighing whether to return to business as usual or keep at least some employees working remotely until the worst of COVID-19 is in the rear-view mirror.

Early on, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warned that cybercriminals, always in search of victims of opportunity, could take advantage of public concern surrounding COVID-19 by launching cyberattacks. In fact, as early as January, related scams had emerged, and Gmail reported in April that it was blocking 18 million coronavirus-linked phishing and malware attacks every day.