UN EXEC WARNS OF SKYROCKETING CYBERCRIMES

United Nations (UN) disarmament chief Izumi Nakamitsu says while the world is preoccupied with battling the COVID-19, it must forget that “cybercrime is also on the rise, with a 600% increase in malicious emails during the current crisis.”

In a report on May 24, 2020, the Associated Press (AP) quoted Nakamitsu as telling an informal meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Friday that “there have also been worrying reports of attacks against health care organizations and medical research facilities worldwide,” with growing digital dependency increasing the vulnerability to cyberattacks, and she claimed that one one such attack takes place every 39 seconds.

According to the International Telecommunication Union, “nearly 90 countries are still only at the early stages of making commitments to cybersecurity,” Nakamitsu said. The high representative for disarmament affairs said the threat from misusing information and communications technology is urgent.”

Yet, she relayed some good news, pointing to some global progress at the United Nations to address the threats as a result of the development of norms for the use of such technology. #COVID19