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NHS COVID-19 fraud increased by 167 % in 2021
ioCatch , a global leader in behavioural biometrics ,
B has announced that COVID-19-related fraud reported to the NHS surged by 167 % from 2020 to 2021 , according to information obtained under the Freedom of Information ( FoI ) Act from the NHS Counter Fraud Authority ( NHSCFA Copyright 2022 ).
The data shows that the global pandemic served as a new line of attack for cybercriminals to target the public , with over 1,069 reports of COVID-19-related fraud being reported in 2021 . This is up from only 400 in 2020 with cybercriminals increasingly focused on capitalising from the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic response .
Although securing COVID-19 data , such as names , addresses , telephone numbers and dates of birth , may seem inconsequential it can be used to gain the victim ’ s trust and secure more information , typically financial credentials . This type of fraud is known as social engineering , whereby a criminal uses personal information to enable a subsequent crime and is one of the fastest-growing scams in the UK .
Fraudulent activity on NHS patients increased overall in 2021 , with 4,022 fraud reports submitted . This is the highest number of fraud reports recorded , up by 60 % since 2017 . In total , this means that more than a quarter ( 27 %) of the fraud reports received in 2021 were related to COVID-19 .
Regular changes to guidance surrounding the response to the pandemic , including NHS COVID passes , booking Coronavirus tests , ordering lateral flow kits and vaccine appointments have all been subject to a series of evolving fraudulent activity .
Report shows 297 % increase in US breaches tied to supply chain and third-party suppliers
orgeRock , a global digital
F identity leader , has announced findings from its 2022 Consumer Identity Breach Report , revealing an unprecedented 297 % surge in breaches caused primarily by security issues associated with supply chain and third-party suppliers and representing almost 25 % of all breaches .
The report also found unauthorised access was the leading cause of breaches for the fourth consecutive year , steadily increasing to account for 50 % of all records compromised during 2021 .
The report underscores the fact that cybercriminals continue to find new methods of attack across industries and geographies . The cost of breaches also continues to grow . In the US alone , the price of remediation from a breach has climbed annually , more than doubling since 2018 .
“ This is no time for security teams to let their guard down as cybercriminals are getting even more bold in how they score their next payday ,” said Fran Rosch , CEO , ForgeRock .
“ Exploits that target people ’ s usernames and passwords to break into organisations are becoming more sophisticated . Now more than ever , companies need to adopt digital identity and access management solutions that strengthen their security posture without compromising the user experience .”
ForgeRock also discovered that 60 % of all records breached in 2021 included either social security numbers , dates of birth , or both – nearly doubling since last year .
The report found that as e-commerce sites and applications increasingly strive for an effortless user experience to differentiate from the competition , they often omit security features .
6 www . intelligentciso . com