With the pandemic sending shockwaves through the world, we’ve seen businesses of all sizes move their primary offering online, and the emphasis surrounding a customer’s online experience has never been higher. However, how many of those businesses have considered whether they have the right cybersecurity measures in place to protect their systems, people and customers?
Over the course of the past two years, we’ve seen many businesses react at the speed of light to enable their teams to work remotely in the initial phase of the crisis, however the next challenge will arise as businesses find gaps in their security, training and enablement.
One of the biggest threats to businesses right now is the rise of remote/hybrid working, yet one in three (37%) IT leaders we surveyed admit that employees in their organisation haven’t been educated on how to avoid a security breach.
It comes as no surprise that our latest research reveals that 44% of businesses have been impacted by a cyber-attack.
A combination of remote working, an increased online presence and the fact that cyber attackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, is leading to organisations becoming more prone to cyber-attacks.
We surveyed 250 IT decision makers, including IT managers, IT directors, CIOs, COOs/operations directors to uncover just how prepared businesses across the country are for a world where remote working is the norm.
A staggering 48% of IT leaders admit their organisation’s cybersecurity isn’t good enough for remote working, whilst 46% believe their organisation will be attacked by cyber criminals in the future, with 54% admitting their organisation’s sensitive data is at risk of being breached.
For this reason, we’re calling on businesses across the country to review their cybersecurity strategy. Not only will this help to keep the organisation, stakeholders and sensitive data safe, it’ll also ensure employees are equipped for the new world of work.
The research reveals that a further 57% admit they’re worried employees are using the same password across multiple platforms, resulting in increased vulnerability to attacks due to it being easier for cybercriminals to manipulate accounts. While employees in almost half (46%) of the organisations surveyed are using tech that is more than 10 years old.
It’s concerning, but not a surprise, to hear that so many organisations are putting themselves, their stakeholders, their sensitive data and ultimately their reputation at risk, due to a combination of a lack of employee training, having dated technologies in place and/or a minimal cybersecurity strategy to future-proof themselves against threats.
Technology from five years ago, let alone ten years ago, wasn’t built with today’s threats in mind. And, as threat actors show no signs of reducing in intelligence, outdated security solutions make it so much easier for attackers to exploit an organisation’s weaknesses. In addition, every employee in every organisation should have at the very least, a basic level of training on how to spot and avoid a potential cyber-attack.
With so many IT decision makers admitting to having insufficient cybersecurity protection and training in place, it’s no surprise that almost half (46%) believe the biggest cybersecurity threat lies in advancements in technology and threats.
As a result, many are looking to update the cybersecurity measures they have in place, in the not-too-distant future.
When it comes to where businesses plan to spend their budget in 2022, the research revealed the biggest focus (in order of importance) will be on:
1. Next generation firewalls (29%)
2. Multi-factor authentication (28%)
3. Secure remote access (27%)
With the new year on the horizon, now is the time for leaders to review their current cybersecurity strategy to ensure they’re fully equipped to face the challenges of 2022 and beyond.
Download the full The Future of Cybersecurity report for further insight.