CRIME AND DEVIANCE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC:

Background of the study

The pandemic of COVID-19 and the imposed lockdown, have led

to more people being confined at home with many more hours to
spend online each day and increasingly relying on the Internet to access
services, they normally obtain offline. The dangers of cyber-crime have
been there for many years, but the increase in the percentage of the
population connected to the Internet and the time spent online,
combined with the sense of confinement and the anxiety and fear
generated from the lockdown, have provided more opportunities for
cybercriminals to take advantage of the situation and make more
money or create disruption. It is important to note that some more
vulnerable segments of the population, such as children need to spend
more time online for services such as schooling. This seismic change in
how we live our lives and use the Internet has prompted a proliferation
of e-crimes. (Edward G. 2020)
As governments were occupied with addressing the health
consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, attacks in cyberspace have
proliferated. The implementation of a work-from-home arrangement
during the pandemic meant that more private information technology
devices are being used for official business. Also, as people are required
to stay in their houses because of the lockdown, their reliance on
cyberspace for work, chores, and banking heightened. The WHO
reported a five-fold increase in cyber-attacks directed at its staff since
the pandemic started. Likewise, the United States Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) said that there has been a spike in cybercrime
reports, four times more compared to the months before the
pandemic.[ Cyber-attacks were also rising in Southeast Asia.[v]
According to the National Bureau of Investigation Cyber Crimes Division
(NBI-CCD), phishing is considered the top cybercrime in the Philippines
during the pandemic, with cases rising over 200 percent.[vi] These
reports signal that a strong cyber defense is necessary to prevent and
detect cyber-attacks, and provide timely response to safeguard health,
military, and other vital systems(Nicholas & Pipikaite2020).
The lockdown has also significantly increased concerns about
vulnerable persons online. While children, for instance, are greatly
benefiting from e-schooling, they are equally more exposed to threats
coming from the internet, file-sharing abuse, inappropriate content,
and the grooming of children for sexual purposes are some of the
dangers their parents should be aware of in these challenging times.
The elderly, who usually rely on offline shopping and have now to
purchase what they need from the internet, equally find themselves
more exposed to cybercrime. Another side-effect of the protracted
lockdown has been a growing demand for pornography. The industry
has seen an increase in the number of users, but also concerns are
being raised about vulnerable categories being pushed into
exploitation, including drug addicts and children trafficked by families in
need. Although the risk of being attacked will remain, some mitigation
measures may help users and employers. For the users, it is
recommended to be very vigilant about phishing emails and websites,
practice good cyber hygiene, use only trusted Wi-Fi networks, and
consider adopting a password manager to help to avoid using the same
password for multiple websites (SELLAR 2020).
The COVID-19 pandemic did not only catalyze a global health
emergency but also raised a cybersecurity alarm. This paper has noted
that the cyber threat landscape has not significantly changed during the
COVID-19 pandemic, but has merely taken a new form because of the
latest technological advancements. In comparison to the situation
before the pandemic, cyber attackers viewed the COVID-19 pandemic
as a special opportunity to pursue their activities as people and
networks have proven to be more vulnerable in this setting.
Cybercriminals continuously adapt their activities as the pandemic
progresses. In this regard, prevention and detection are crucial in
cyberspace. Together with providing timely responses to cyber
incidents, these three courses of action render cyber defense a
powerful tool for a country’s cyber domain. Although the Philippines
has more to develop in its cyber capability, the government must
endeavor to be multiple steps ahead to ensure secure cyberspace that
can be sustained even beyond the COVID-19 pandemic (Taylor & Bryson
2020).