THE EFFECT OF COVID-19 EPIDEMIC ON DIGITALIZATION

Authors

  • Adriana-Meda UDROIU National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics
  • Ionuț SANDU National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53477/2668-2028-21-38

Keywords:

Keywords: COVID-19 epidemic; digitalization; pandemic context.

Abstract

Abstract: When the COVID-19 epidemic hit Europe at the end of February 2020, most countries enforced a lock down period. In terms of public services, that means that citizens could rely only on digital services provided by the Government or local authorities. In countries with a low level of digitalization, the lock down generated a freeze of some public sectors. One of those countries was Romania, which since March 2020 has had a mixed approach to the bureaucratic challenges that were brought by COVID-19 global pandemic. In March 2020, with an almost nonexistent and underdeveloped digital infrastructure, Romania could only take emergency measure in terms of public services. More precisely, all non-urgent services were frozen or postponed while the validity date of official documents (e.g. medical certificates, identity cards) was extended. Starting with May, some public institution managed to provide some sort of digital services, though most of them do not comply with the data protection regulations.

Author Biography

Adriana-Meda UDROIU, National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics

Date of birth, City/Country: 24.04.1971, Bacau, Romania

Higher education (undergraduate and graduate studies):

  • Bachelor degree in (field of study), awarded by (University), class of (year), Computer &Automated Systems, Politechnica University Bucharest, 1994
  • Master degree in (field of study), awarded by (University), class of (year): Computer &Automated Systems, Politechnica University Bucharest, 1998
  • Doctorate degree in (field of study), awarded by (University), class of (year): Automated Sistems, University Politechnica Bucharest, 2003

Relevant training courses: CIPM, CCNA

Relevant certifications: DPO, CISO

Current position and affiliation: Associate professor at Faculty of Automatic Control and Computers, University Politehnica of Bucharest, at Faculty of Command and Staff, National Defence University ,,Carol I” and at the Faculty of Military Electronic and Information Systems, Military Technical Academy ,,Ferdinand I”; Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics

Research interests: Critical Infrastructure, Information security, Cybersecurity and Cyber intelligence. Digitalization, Information systems

Relevant scientific achievements: 10 volumes in ICT field, 11 ICT research projects, over 50 article indexed in ISI or BDI.

References

1. https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/493198-fbi-sees-spike-in-cyber-crime-reports-during-coronaviruspandemic
2. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/alarming-rate-cyberattacks-aimed-major-corporations-governmentscritical/story?id=72164931
3. https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2020/06/16/exploiting-a-crisis-how-cybercriminals-behaved-duringthe-outbreak/
4. https://www.f5.com/labs/articles/threat-intelligence/how-cyber-attacks-changed-during-the-pandemic
5. https://www.who.int/news/item/23-04-2020-who-reports-fivefold-increase-in-cyber-attacks-urges-vigilance
6. https://cert.ro/citeste/alerta-phishing-banca-mondiala
7. https://www.europol.europa.eu/newsroom/news/sim-highjackers-how-criminals-are-stealing-millionshighjacking-phone-numbers

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Published

2021-07-22

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 1 (2021)

Section

Articles