COVID-19-Related Cyberattacks and Precautions Taken by Countries

Öz

The coronavirus pandemic, which occurred at the end of 2019, started to be seen all over the world in early 2020. Later, the number of deaths due to this pandemic increased rapidly in almost all countries. Since it has reached significant dimensions, the desire of people to learn about this pandemic and the decisions taken regarding the pandemic has increased. As a result, the number of cyberattacks has increased. Stealing user information via e-mails sent as if they are related to coronavirus, and attacks on the systems of health institutions and organizations are the leading coronavirus-related cyberattacks. In this study, a brief description of the coronavirus was made, the types of cyberattacks were mentioned, the cyberattacks originating from coronavirus and the precautions taken by the countries against these attacks were comprehensively examined, and the inferences obtained were presented.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Cyberattack
• cybersecurity
• coronavirus
• COVID-19
• precaution

COVID-19 Bağlantılı Siber Saldırılar ve Ülkelerin Aldıkları Önlemler

Öz

2019 yılının sonlarında ortaya çıkan koronavirüs pandemisi, 2020 yılının başlarında tüm dünyada görülmeye başlanmıştır. Daha sonra bu pandemi nedeniyle ölenlerin sayısı hemen hemen tüm ülkelerde hızla artmıştır. Ölüm sayıları önemli boyutlara ulaştığı için insanların bu pandemiyi ve pandemiyle ilgili alınan kararları öğrenme isteği artmıştır. Sonuç olarak, siber saldırıların sayısı artmıştır. Koronavirüs ile ilgiliymiş gibi gönderilen e-postalar yoluyla kullanıcı bilgilerinin çalınması ve sağlık kurum ve kuruluşlarının sistemlerine yönelik saldırılar, koronavirüs bağlantılı siber saldırıların başında gelmektedir. Bu çalışmada koronavirüsün kısa bir tanımı yapılmış, siber saldırı türlerinden bahsedilmiş, koronavirüs kaynaklı siber saldırılar ve bu saldırılara karşı ülkelerin aldığı önlemler kapsamlı bir şekilde incelenmiş ve elde edilen çıkarımlar sunulmuştur.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Siber saldırı
• siber güvenlik
• koronavirüs
• COVID-19
• önlem

Kaynakça

1. Abrams, M. and Weiss, J. (2008). Malicious Control System Cyber Security Attack Case Study–Maroochy Water Services, Australia, McLean, VA: The MITRE Corporation.
2. ActionFraud (2020). Coronavirus-Related Fraud Reports Increase by 400% in March. Available: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/alert/coronavirus-related-fraud-reports-increase-by-400-in-march (Accessed 16.05.2023).
3. AHA (2020). 4 Possible Cybersecurity Risks Related to COVID-19. Available: https://www.aha.org/sites/default/files/inline-images/cyber%20corona%20blog.jpg (Accessed 16.05.2023).
4. Akbaba, M., Kurt, B., and Nazlıcan, E. (2014). Yeni Coronavirus Salgını", Turk J Public Health, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 217-227.
5. Alawida, M., Omolara, A. E., Abiodun, O. I., & Al-Rajab, M. (2022). A deeper look into cybersecurity issues in the wake of Covid-19: A survey. Journal of King Saud University-Computer and Information Sciences, vol. 34, issue 10, pp. 8179-8026.
6. Alıcılar, H. E. and Meltem, Ç. (2020). Yeni Koronavirüs Salgını: Korunmada Etkili Yaklaşımlar", Available: https://korona.hasuder.org.tr/yeni-koronavirus-salgini-korunmada-etkili-yaklasimlar/ (Accessed 16.05.2023).
7. Anadolu Agency (2020). Japanese Vaccine Producers Under Cyber Attacks: Reports. Available: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/japanese-vaccine-producers-under-cyber-attacks-reports/2011306 (Accessed 16.05.2023)
8. Arc (2020). Coronavirus Lessons for Industrial Cybersecurity. Available: https://www.arcweb.com/blog/coronavirus-lessons-industrial-cybersecurity (Accessed 16.05.2023)

9. Aslay, F. (2017). Siber Saldırı Yöntemleri ve Türkiye’nin Siber Güvenlik Mevcut Durum Analizi. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies and Innovative Technologies, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 24-28.
10. BBC News (2020a). Coronavirus: Russian Spies Target Covid-19 Vaccine Research. Available: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53429506 (Accessed 16.05.2023).
11. BBC News (2020b). Dr Reddy's: Covid Vaccine- Maker Suffers Cyber-Attack. Available: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-54642870 (Accessed 16.05.2023).
12. Bloomberg (2020) . Cyber-Attack Hits U.S. Health Agency Amid Covid-19 Outbreak. Available: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-16/u-s-health-agency-suffers-cyber-attack-during-covid-19-response (Accessed 16.05.2023).
13. Buber, E., Diri, B., and Şahingöz Ö. K. (2017). Detecting Phishing Attacks from URL by Using NLP Techniques, International Conference on Computer Science and Engineering (UBMK), pp. 337-342.
14. Can, O. and Şahingöz, Ö. K. (2015). An Intrusion Detection System Based on Neural Network. 23nd Signal Processing and Communications Applications Conference (SIU), pp. 2302-2305.
15. Case, D. U. (2016). Analysis of the Cyber Attack on the Ukrainian Power Grid. Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC), vol. 388, pp. 1-29.
16. CheckPoint (2020a). COVID-19 Impact: As Retailers Close their Doors, Hackers Open for Business – Check Point. Available: https://cyberriskleaders.com/covid-19-impact-as-retailers-close-their-doors-hackers-open-for-business-check-point/ (Accessed 16.05.2023).
17. CheckPoint (2020b). Coronavirus update: In the cyber world, the graph has yet to flatten. Available: https://blog.checkpoint.com/security/coronavirus-update-in-the-cyber-world-the-graph-has-yet-to-flatten/ (Accessed 20.07.2023).
18. Computer Weekly (2020). North Korea Accused of Pfizer Covid Vaccine Cyber Attack. Available: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-54642870 (Accessed 16.05.2023)
19. Çubukcu, A. and Bayzan, Ş. (2013). Türkiye’de Dijital Vatandaşlık Algısı ve bu Algıyı Internetin Bilinçli, Güvenli ve Etkin Kullanımı ile Artırma Yöntemleri. Middle Eastern & African Journal of Educational Research, vol. 5, pp. 148-174.
20. Değirmenci, O. (2002). Bilişim Suçları. Unpublished Master Thesis. Marmara University, İstanbul. Habertürk (2020). Koronavirüs Salgınıyla Beraber Siber Saldırılar Arttı. Available: https://www.haberturk.com/koronavirus-salginiyla-beraber-siber-saldirilar-artti-2626969-teknoloji (Accessed 16.05.2023)
21. Halchin, L. E. (2004). Electronic Government: Government Capability and Terrorist Resource. Government Information Quarterly, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 406-419.
22. Hürriyet (2020). Koronavirüs Odaklı Yeni Siber Saldırı Tekniklerine Dikkat!. Available: https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/teknoloji/koronavirus-odakli-yeni-siber-saldiri-tekniklerine-dikkat-41472847 (Accessed 16.05.2023).
23. Karaarslan, E. and Akbaş, M. F. (2017). Blokzinciri Tabanli Siber Güvenlik Sistemleri. Uluslararası Bilgi Güvenliği Mühendisliği Dergisi, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 16- 21.
24. Lu, R. et al. (2020). Genomic Characterisation and Epidemiology of 2019 Novel Coronavirus: Implications for Virus Origins and Receptor Binding. The Lancet, vol. 395, no. 10224, pp. 565-574.
25. McIntosh, K. (2020). Coronaviruses. Available: https://www.uptodate.com/contents/coronaviruses (Accessed 16.05.2023).
26. NPR (2022). Cyberattacks on health care are increasing. Inside one hospital's fight to recover. Available: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/05/08/1172569347/cyberattacks-on-health-care-are-increasing-inside-one-hospitals-fight-to-recover (Accesed 16.05.2023)
27. Öztürk M. S. (2018). Siber Saldirilar, Siber Güvenlik Denetimleri ve Bütüncül bir Denetim Modeli Önerisi. Journal of Accounting & Taxation Studies (JATS), Special Issue of the 10th Year, pp. 208-232.
28. Reuters (2020). Vietnam-linked Hackers Targeted Chinese Government Over Coronavirus Response: Researchers. Available: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health- coronavirus-cyber-vietnam/vietnam- linked-hackers-targeted-chinese- government-over-coronavirus-response- researchers-idUSKCN2241C8 (Accessed 16.05.2023)
29. Reuters (2022). Hacker offers to sell data of 48.5 million users of Shanghai's COVID app. Available: https://www.reuters.com/world/china/hacker-offers-sell-data-485-mln-users-shanghais-covid-app-2022-08-12/ (Accessed 16.05.2023)
30. SC Media (2023). Citing cyberattack, COVID-19 impacts, Illinois hospital suspends operations. Available : https://www.scmagazine.com/analysis/ransomware/citing-cyberattack-covid-19-impacts-illinois-hospital-suspends-operations (Accesed 16.05.2023)
31. Statista (2020). Coronavirus Drives European Hunger For News. Available: https://www.statista.com/chart/21215/incr ease-in-news-consumption-europe- covid19/ (Accessed 16.05.2023)
32. T. Print (2020). Pakistan-linked Hackers Pose as Indian Govt. Carry Out Cyberattacks Under Covid-19 Cover. Available: https://theprint.in/tech/pakistan-linked- hackers-pose-as-indian-govt-carry-out-cyberattacks-under-covid-19-cover/407366/ (Accessed 16.05.2023)
33. Threat Post (2020). Cyberattacks Target Healthcare Orgs on Coronavirus Frontlines. Available: https://threatpost.com/cyberattacks-healthcare-orgs-coronavirus-frontlines/154768/ (Accessed 16.05.2023)
34. Til, U. D. A. (2020). Yeni Koronavirüs Hastalığı Hakkında Bilinmesi Gerekenler. Ayrıntı Dergisi, vol. 8, no. 85, pp. 53-57.
35. Turhan, O. (2006). Bilgisayar Ağları ile İlgili Suçlar (Siber Suçlar). State Planning Organization Undersecretariat of Legal Counsel, Planning Specialization Thesis, Ankara.
36. Uysal, A. K., Günal, S., Ergin, S., and Günal, E. Ş. (2012). Detection of SMS Spam Messages on Mobile Phones. 20th Signal Processing and Communications Applications Conference (SIU), pp. 1-4.
37. Van der Hoek, L. et al. (2004). Identification of a new human coronavirus. Nature medicine, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 368-373.
38. Washington Post (2020). The Cybersecurity 202: Coronavirus Pandemic has not Stopped Cyberattacks on Hospitals and Other Vital Infrastructure. Available: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-cybersecurity-202/2020/04/20/the-cybersecurity-202-coronavirus-pandemic-has-not-stopped-cyberattacks-on-hospitals-and-other-key-targets/5e9caee2602ff10d49ae8640/ (Accessed 16.05.2023)
39. We Live Security (2021). Oxford University COVID‑19 Lab Hacked. Available: https://www.welivesecurity.com/2021/02/26/oxford-university-covid19-laboratory-hack/ (Accessed 16.05.2023)
40. World Health Organization (2020a). Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Situation Report 73. Available: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/331686 (Accessed 16.05.2023)
41. World Health Organization (2020b). WHO Reports Fivefold Increase in Cyber Attacks, Urges Vigilance. Available: https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/23-04-2020-who-reports-fivefold-increase-in-cyber-attacks-urges-vigilance (Accessed 16.05.2023)
42. Wright, A., Aaron, S., and Bates, D. W. (2016). The big phish: cyberattacks against US healthcare systems. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 31, pp. 1115-1118.
43. Yeni Şafak (2020). "Koronavirüs, Siber Saldırıları Tetikliyor." Available: https://www.yenisafak.com/teknoloji/koronavirus-siber-saldirilari-tetikliyor-3534225 (Accesed 16.05.2023)
44. Yetim, S. (2014). Siber Suçlar, Yargilama Yetkisi ve Yeni bir Model Önerisi. Türkiye Adalet Akademisi Dergisi, vol. 17, pp. 177 – 230.
45. ZDNet (2021a). Brazilian Ministry of Health suffers cyberattack and COVID-19 vaccination data vanishes. Available: https://www.zdnet.com/article/brazilian-ministry-of-health-suffers-cyberattack-and-covid-19-vaccination-data-vanishes/ (Accessed 16.05.2023).
46. ZDNet (2021b). Hackers have Leaked the COVID-19 Vaccine Data They Stole in a Cyberattack. Available: https://www.zdnet.com/article/hackers-have-leaked-the-covid-19-vaccine-data-they-stole-in-a-cyberattack/ (Accessed 16.05.2023)