Rob Elliss , VP for Data Security solutions for Europe , the Middle East and Africa ( EMEA ) at Thales
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There is no doubt that over the last year we have seen our professional and personal lives changed , and for many us our commute to work is now a stroll to the front room , spare room or other part of our homes . This surge of home working has forced IT teams across the world to accelerate Digital Transformation plans .
In a world where COVID-19 is constantly on the mind , in the news and on our social feeds , our curiosity to consume more about it has created a new way to lure unsuspecting employees into hackers ’ traps .
New frontiers have emerged for cybercriminals , ranging from attacks on businesses and governments through their rapidly expanded remote workforce , to targeting schools and universities struggling to cope with virtual learning , through to ransomware attacks . In addition , hackers have unleashed attacks on COVID-19 research , making the vaccine an obvious next target for malicious assailants .
While the world is still learning to manage heightened security risks and the increasing incidence of cyberattacks , a new challenge has emerged as hackers target the mass scale rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine itself . While immunisations are well underway in the UK , the data and supply chains supporting the access and distribution of vaccines are at great risk from cybercriminals , who ’ ve long sought to take advantage of a crisis . Serious attacks have already taken place with the European Medicines Agency reporting that threat actors broke into its servers and accessed documentation about the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccines .
Accomplishing secure distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is a massive undertaking – from manufacturing to storing data , to distribution and maintenance of the whole cycle . However , there are multiple safeguards , technologies and steps that the government and businesses can take to protect and ensure this valuable process .
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Secure the vaccine information , protect the databases and defend the supply chain
Protecting the data of those who need the COVID-19 vaccine , where the need is and who has already received their dose is a massive undertaking , and security around this valuable data – as well as information on the vaccine itself – is significant . The quality and security of the data are crucial .
This veil of protection must also extend to the physical distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine across the UK – a complicated process that involves many moving parts and needs to operate to a tight schedule . As part of this supply chain , numerous IoT devices – from GPS tracking technology to mobile systems – are being used to store , transport and distribute the vaccine within its low temperature requirements .
The reliance on a multifactor supply chain involving a wide variety of
Encrypting data at its source will ensure that even if there is a breach of the NHS ’ s systems , the data will be rendered useless if it ends up in the wrong hands .
IoT devices , as well as large-scale databases , exposes the process of vaccine distribution up to a greater cybersecurity risk . It is therefore essential that caretakers behind the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines build strong security foundations and ensure that the toughest protections are in place with the expectation that threats will evolve . An attacker only has to be successful once , but the guardians of the vaccine www . intelligentciso . com
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