Page 67 - SAMENA Trends - August 2020

ARTICLE SAMENA TRENDS

ARTICLE

Cyber Threats Are Surging due to the Pandemic

Critical Post-COVID Cybersecurity Considerations

As digital transformation continues to pick
up steam, companies need to be aware of the
significant security implications at hand.

For most SAMENA businesses, one of the most noteworthy aspects of
the current pandemic has been its impact on digital transformation.
Businesses across all sectors have been forced to pivot and embrace
digital operations. For some companies, digital transformation has
merely involved a shift to remote offices, with employees moving to
virtual desktops, video conferencing platforms, and cloud services.
Yet, for many SAMENA companies, COVID-19 has required an
even bolder leap into digital markets. For example, MGM Resorts
International is now making a pivot into online sports gambling, as
they look to recoup lost profits and cater to customers who can’t
make it into physical casinos. “As digital transformation continues
to pick up steam, companies need to be aware of the significant
security implications at hand,” says Sameh Sobhy, Managing Director
META region for communications provider PCCW Global. “Digital
transformation is permanently changing the way that companies
communicate with workers, partners, and customers,” he adds. Mr.
Sobhy identifies three critical security issues that are emerging as
the pandemic slowly chips away at our lives. “Across the globe, we’re Sameh Sobhy
seeing an increased reliance on virtual interactions; more vulnerable Managing Director META region
end users; and outdated network architectures,” he stresses.
PCCW Global
1. Increased Reliance on Virtual Interactions
The pandemic has led to widespread brick and mortar closures,
forcing non tech companies to digitize to survive. For example, many
regional retailers have all been forced to update and expand their
online shopping strategies, to protect their market share and compete.
Unfortunately, many smaller organizations — like small restaurant
owners and retailers — are now in over their heads. One issue that
businesses are facing is that customers are increasingly moving
to virtual hubs to make transactions. As a result, companies are at
increased risk for threats like distributed denial of service (DDos)
attacks, which can lead to lengthy bouts of downtime. Sustained
DDoS attacks, after all, can sometimes last up to 24 hours. “It’s one
thing for a large enterprise to be knocked offline for this long,” adds
Mr. Sobhy. “It’s quite another for a small to medium-sized business to
go 24 hours without internet, especially during busy times.”

67 AUGUST 2020