Article Review #2: “Malware Infections in the U.S. during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Empirical Study.”
Jayden Teasley
School of Cybersecurity, Old Dominion University
CYSE 201S: Cybersecurity and the Social Sciences
Dr. Diwakar Yalpi
November 16, 2025
Introduction
This article looks at how malware infections in the United States changed during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors bring together several datasets, COVID-19 case numbers, state policy decisions, and Kaspersky malware detection data, to see whether rising infection rates or lockdown policies were connected to shifts in cyberthreat activity. Their main goal is to understand whether pandemic conditions created changes in online vulnerability or exposure.
Relation to the Social Sciences
Even though the topic is cybersecurity, the study takes a very social-science-oriented approach. Instead of treating malware as a purely technical issue, the authors look at how human behavior, state policies, and everyday routines shape cyber risk. This fits with criminology and policy analysis, where researchers often examine how environmental changes create new opportunities for offending. The article highlights how something like a public health crisis can directly influence digital crime trends.
Research Question, Hypotheses, IV and DV
The researchers focus on one main question: Were increases in COVID-19 cases or statewide policy actions (such as business and school closures) associated with changes in malware infections? Their hypotheses are that rising COVID-19 cases would correlate with more malware incidents and that policy changes might shift infection patterns. The independent variables are COVID-19 case counts and closure policies, while the dependent variable is the number of detected malware infections in each state.
Research Methods
The authors use quantitative methods with secondary data. They pull malware counts from Kaspersky’s Cyberthreat Real-Time Map, combine them with CDC COVID-19 case data, and match these with state policy information. Using regression analysis across all 50 states from January to June 2020, they test for statistical relationships between pandemic conditions and malware activity.
Data and Analysis
The data sources are clearly explained and well connected. The study finds that malware infections were associated with both COVID-19 case counts and the timing of non-essential business closures. However, they did not find a significant link between malware and K–12 school closures. The authors are honest about the limitations, such as relying on a single cybersecurity vendor’s data and not being able to measure individual-level effects.
Connections to Coursework
This article ties in strongly with topics from class, especially routine activity theory and how external events shift opportunities for cybercrime. The pandemic changed where people worked, how often they were online, and what devices they used, all of which can influence cyberthreat exposure. The study is also a good example of how to combine different datasets and apply social-science methods to cybersecurity problems.
Marginalized Groups
The study doesn’t break down malware impacts by demographic groups, which is a limitation. Because the data is aggregated at the state level, it’s not possible to see whether certain communities, such as low-income households or areas with limited digital security resources, were more affected. The authors suggest that future research should examine how cyberthreats might disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.
Contributions to Society
The article adds useful insight into how large-scale crises can influence cyber risk. Understanding these patterns can help policymakers and security professionals prepare for future disruptions, especially when major shifts to remote work happen quickly. The findings highlight the importance of proactive cyber-awareness campaigns and better planning during emergencies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this study makes a solid contribution by showing how pandemic conditions are linked to changes in malware activity across the country. Its strengths include its timely data and clear methodology, while limitations mostly stem from restricted datasets and broad geographic measures. Still, the research opens the door for more detailed studies on how societal events shape cybercrime trends.
References
- Gero, S., Back, S., LaPrade, J., & Kim, J. (2021). Malware Infections in the U.S. during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Empirical Study. International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime, 4(2), 25–37.