IT Professional Special Issue on Security and Data Protection During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

The global landscape has been reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, causing unprecedented health, economic, and societal disruptions. In this transformative period, technology emerged as a vital lifeline, serving as both a shield against the virus and a catalyst for adapting to new challenges. Digital contact tracing frameworks rapidly emerged and became popular worldwide, thus enabling swift identification of potential exposure and containment of infections. In addition, the subsequent development of digital COVID certificates for vaccinations, immunity, and testing facilitated the safe resumption of daily activities and cross-border travel.