According to Unisys Chief Trust Officer Tom Patterson, vigilance to find accurate information is as important as vigilance in containing the virus. This is because, in the business context, correct information will always help people make more responsible decisions. in fact, misinformation can travel three times faster than accurate information thanks in part to social media, according to Personnel Today.
Patterson explains that in his business sector, Unisys (a global information technology company) has considered how the spread of misinformation can impact cybersecurity. Patterson has observed this trend happening with the spread of COVID-19 misinformation.
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To gain an insight into this different type of cybersecurity vulnerability, Unisys Chief Trust Officer Tom Patterson tells Digital Journal what businesses need to be considering as COVID-19 related information flows in.
Patterson begins with a journalism analogy: “Check your sources. Just like reporters do, it’s critical for average Americans to now apply this same rigor as they get information on the COVID-19 outbreak directly.”
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This means, according to Patterson: “No longer can you trust that link from your family, friends, or co-workers with important sounding names and impressive looking logos. These previously trusted links are being exploited by a group that includes state sponsored adversaries looking to disrupt our society, through transnational criminal gangs looking to profit by installing ransomware, to mischief makers seeking a moment of national notoriety.”
Patterson also notes that: “With these attacks ramping up and more people working from home, it’s critical for companies to ensure they’ve deployed cyber defenses that deliver real resilience in the face of this new threat environment. This can be done in a cost effective and efficient fashion by leveraging security that is native to advanced cloud technologies including containers and Kubernetes.”
