The retail industry has been the biggest victim of cyber attacks during the COVID-19 pandemic, new data from Mimecast shows.
In its report, The First 100 Days of Coronavirus, Mimecast observed the emergence of 60,000+ COVID-19-related registered bogus domains.
These fake domains impersonated major retail brands in order to steal from unsuspecting panic-buyers as they looked to purchase necessities online.
Tracking key trends and cybersecurity threats from December 31, 2019 to March 30, 2020, Mimecast found that retail remained the top targeted sector worldwide throughout this entire period.
In its report, Mimecast said that now is the time for organisations to review cyber-security protocols.
"The global spread of COVID-19 has created many new opportunities for threat actors since the novel coronavirus began gathering widespread attention at the end of 2019.
"Now, all organisations need to carefully review their multi-layered cybersecurity strategies and arm employees with knowledge of how to protect themselves against these specific attacks.
"Increases in coronavirus-related spam and impersonation attack campaigns are exploiting the vulnerability of users working at home, taking advantage of their desire for information about the coronavirus pandemic to entice them to click on unsafe links.
"Traditional fraudsters are also using spam to offer fake or non-existent goods such as protective masks or COVID-19 cures.
"Lookalike domains are easily forged, and the report documents a corresponding surge in domain-related abuse in relation to COVID-19 and associated monikers."