Recommendations: Dealing with COVID-19 based cyberattacks and scams and the massive increase in work from home

Venture Insights outlines 7 critical recommendations to secure home networks against rising pandemic-themed cyber threats.

Nigel Pugh · Venture Insights1 March 2020Period: Q1 20206 min read

Last updated 10 June 2026

33%↑

Respondents planning to WFH or increase WFH days (March 2020)

94↑

Reports of COVID-19 scams received by ACCC (March 2020)

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Companies covered:TelstraTrend MicroMalwarebytesGoogleACCC

Abstract

This report analyses the surge in COVID-19 themed cyberattacks and the security implications of the massive global shift to remote work. With 33% of Australian consumers planning to increase work-from-home days, cyber criminals are leveraging pandemic-related misinformation and phishing to steal sensitive data. The brief provides seven immediate recommendations for businesses to secure remote staff, including hardware updates, Wi-Fi segregation, and the use of VPNs to mitigate risks from unsecure home environments.

Key Takeaways

Cyber criminals are exploiting the pandemic via SMS phishing from 'GOV' and malware-laden 'Ministry of Health' emails.
Venture Insights survey data indicates 33% of Australian broadband users are shifting to remote work, expanding the corporate attack surface.
The ACCC recorded 94 coronavirus-related scams by late March 2020, including fake stores selling non-existent vaccines.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Venture Insights data confirms that 33% of Australian consumers plan to increase their work-from-home days permanently. This transition creates a structural shift in network demand, even as 42% of the population remains unable to work remotely due to the nature of their roles.

The threat environment is escalating rapidly, with 130,103 malware attacks detected in the EMEA region in Q1 2020 alone. Locally, the ACCC received 94 reports of COVID-19 specific scams in March 2020, indicating that criminals are successfully leveraging pandemic misinformation to breach consumer hardware.

Current home infrastructure is a weak point, as only 54% of work-from-home users believe their existing broadband setup is adequate for their professional needs. To protect the 33% of the workforce moving to remote models, businesses must mandate specific technical interventions including Wi-Fi segregation and VPN utilization.

Recommendations: Dealing with COVID-19 based cyberattacks and scams and the massive increase in work from home

Abstract

Key Takeaways

Frequently Asked Questions

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