WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nexstar) — Recent reports show cyberattacks have surged since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cybercriminals target the average household 104 times per month, according to Comcast.
On Wednesday, senators took a look at how they can help communities fend off these attacks. Brandon Wales with the Department of Homeland Security says no one is safe.
“We have seen malicious cyber actors targeting vaccine research and development, exploiting the dramatic expansion of remote work and using COVID to advance criminal schemes,” said Wales.
He says cyberattacks are only getting more creative and more invasive as the pandemic continues—and once attackers in, Wales says it’s game over.
New Hampshire Democrat Maggie Hassan says Congress needs to do more to help local and state governments fend off these attacks.
Some of the suggestions senators talked about include creating programs to train communities to identify the attacks before they happen. Wales warned senators that if Congress doesn’t act fast, criminals could get their hands on highly classified information.
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