Written by: Jay H.
The coronavirus pandemic abruptly forced employees from the office into their homes. Unfortunately, this unprecedented transition left employees exposed to numerous cybersecurity risks. A recent survey conducted by software vendor Lynx Software examines these threats and how to mitigate them.
In a survey of 1,000 working Americans, Lynx found that a cybersecurity attack has impacted 36% of respondents, or someone they know, since the start of the pandemic. As such, most respondents (69%) are more concerned about cybersecurity risks during COVID-19 than they were beforehand. For most (54%) employees, the most significant security concern is attackers compromising their personal data.
Despite the heightened security risks, only 49% said their organization’s cybersecurity has strengthened since the start of the pandemic. For example, organizations allow 76% of respondents to use personal devices for work at least sometimes and permit 65% to access personal services on their work computer. Furthermore, 60% say their company has not prohibited using applications that do not meet high security standards, and 58% say their organization has not implemented antivirus software.
“Organizations of all types need to prioritize finding ways to secure end-points for their employees’ devices, whether they are on laptops, edge servers, or anything between, especially in the remote, zero-trust environment we are living in. For IT teams this doesn’t have to mean prohibitive costs or compromising performance,†said Arun Subbarao, vice president of engineering and technology at Lynx Software.
Employees Unaware Of Cybersecurity Risks
Furthermore, not all employees are aware of the additional cybersecurity risks they are exposed to or what to do in a threatening situation. While almost all (95%) agreed that it is crucial to secure their work laptop, 30% were unaware that using company devices outside of the workplace puts them at greater cyber risk. Moreover, over half admitted they would not be able to recognize if attackers had compromised their device.
Once the workforce begins to return to the office, 70% of respondents expect they will work from home for some period of the workweek. When asked how organizations can mitigate cybersecurity risks, respondents had several ideas. First, 51% said their organizations can communicate how they are combatting cybersecurity risks by sharing policies. Also, 50% said they would like training sessions educating them on cybersecurity issues. Finally, 44% would like weekly newsletter updates on cybersecurity efforts from the organization.
To help your organization defend against cybersecurity risks, consider partnering with a managed IT services provider such as Design2Web IT. To learn more about how Design2Web can help keep your business safe, contact us today.
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