05/25/2020
UN warns cybercrime is up 600% during pandemic
The United Nations warned last week that cybercrime is up 600% as internet use has grown sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. It's estimated there's an attack every 39 seconds. Many have been against health care and medical research facilities. Earlier this month, U.S. and U.K. officials warned that hackers are targeting organizations with phishing scams to steal usernames and passwords. Some attacks have been blamed on military intelligence.
■Class discussion: Have you been spending more time online during the pandemic? What do you do to protect yourself and your personal information online? Do you know how hackers use “phishing” to trick users into giving up passwords or other information to invade their computer systems? Which nations do you think are involved in computer espionage? Russia? China? United States? All nations? Do we need new laws to protect our online privacy?