🌪️ Cybersecurity in Times of Crisis
How Disasters Trigger Digital Exploitation—And What You Can Do About It
When the world is burning—literally or figuratively—cybercriminals are watching.
Whether it's a natural disaster, political upheaval, or public health emergency, every crisis is a playground for attackers. Why? Because chaos breaks routines, blurs trust, and pushes people into urgency mode.
And in cybersecurity, urgency is the enemy of caution.
This post breaks down how attackers exploit crises, what patterns to watch for, and how to protect yourself and your community before the next emergency strikes.
🧨 Crisis = Opportunity (For Cybercriminals)
Disasters create ideal conditions for digital exploitation:
People are scared, distracted, or displaced
Infrastructure may be offline or understaffed
Official information is delayed or fragmented
Relief efforts move fast and can be messy
Attackers know this. And they’ve built playbooks to take advantage.
💀 Common Attack Types During Crises
🎯 1. Phishing Disguised as Help
Fake disaster relief fund emails
Impersonated government aid programs (e.g., FEMA, Red Cross)
“Urgent update” emails about weather, safety alerts, or vaccines
During COVID-19, phishing campaigns spiked by over 600%.
📦 2. Malware in Breaking News Links
Fake news alerts via SMS or social media
Booby-trapped PDFs claiming to be safety guidance or aid forms
“News aggregator” apps quietly stealing data
These prey on curiosity and fear—especially when official updates are slow.
🛠️ 3. Charity & Crowdfunding Scams
Fraudulent GoFundMe pages
Lookalike domains for global aid orgs
Cryptocurrency donation requests “on behalf of” victims
After every major flood, fire, or war, fake donation drives spike within 24–48 hours.
🔐 4. Credential Harvesting Under Pressure
“Confirm your identity to receive aid”
“Update your account before it's frozen due to crisis”
Fake login portals mimicking banks, aid agencies, or health orgs
Attackers bet that stress will override skepticism.
🔎 What to Watch For During Future Emergencies
🚩 Signs It Might Be a Scam:
Messages asking for donations in crypto or gift cards
Misspelled organization names or suspicious sender addresses
Links to forms asking for logins, bank info, or ID numbers
“Exclusive updates” forwarded on WhatsApp or Telegram
Requests for remote access to “install safety tools”
If it triggers urgency, fear, or pity—and asks you to click, pay, or log in—it’s probably an exploit.
🛡️ How to Protect Yourself (And Your Network)
✅ 1. Pause Before You Act
In a crisis, slow is safe.
Pause before clicking, donating, or sharing.
Type known URLs directly—don’t click links.
✅ 2. Use Verified Sources
Bookmark official orgs:
Use encrypted messaging tools like Signal or iMessage if infrastructure is unstable.
✅ 3. Protect Loved Ones
Talk to older or less tech-savvy relatives in advance
Set up a “safe sources” list so they know who to trust
✅ 4. Use a Password Manager + MFA
✅ 5. Report Scams
In the U.S.: report to the FTC and CISA
In Ireland:
Forward suspicious texts to 50555
Report phishing at gov.ie/reportphishing
Bonus tip: Save this guide as a PDF or note you can access offline, in case networks go down.
🧠 Final Thought: Chaos Is a Feature, Not a Bug—for Attackers
Crises don’t just disrupt—they distract. And that’s when mistakes happen.
Cybercriminals don’t need to hack you—they just need you too tired, too stressed, or too trusting to notice what’s happening.
But with some awareness and a simple plan, you can make yourself (and your team) much harder to exploit—even in the middle of a storm.
Be ready when it’s calm. That’s when crisis-proofing works best.
You can’t control everything—but you can control who has access.
Heather Roache
Founder, The Cyber Compass
Navigate the Digital World with Confidence