The pandemic taught workers around the globe that business as usual can continue, even with a remote workforce, and many of us would like to continue telecommuting. A Boston Consulting Group survey reveals that homeworking is here to stay, with 89% of workers expecting to continue working at home after the crisis ends. While some employees will be required to go back to businesses' physical locations, some will willingly work remotely. Regardless, the hybrid work environment creates unique security challenges for IT teams.
A remote workforce increased the average total cost of a data breach by nearly $137K, according to IBM's Cost of a Data Breach report. More alarming is that cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated and are increasing their ransomware and cyberattacks to block a computer system. The cost of some ransom demands has exceeded $1 million; businesses that have suffered cyberattacks and ransomware attacks have spent around $144.2 million to resolve.
The challenge for IT departments is how to protect the business and its employees from cyberattacks without infringing on productivity, collaboration, and access to digital assets. Security magazine predicts that remote workers will be the main target of cybercriminals throughout 2021. Therefore, finding a workable, secure solution is critical and will save money in the long run. Malwarebytes reports that companies that did not create a secure remote plan have led to nearly 25% of organizations paying unexpected costs to address cybersecurity breaches and malware infections.
The challenge of securing employees working remotely from cyberattacks requires a delicate balance of providing access without hindering productivity.
Many companies have adopted a flexible bring your own device (BYOD) policy to give employees more flexibility and makes employees more accessible in a remote environment. Although BYOD may appear to be an inexpensive way to help them stay connected to their work email and other apps, this policy does come with its own risks.
Your cybersecurity defense should include the realization that not all employees are using and updating security applications; many may not even be using secure passwords. You must also consider the risk of device theft, loss, and malware hacks. If you do have a BYOD policy, be sure to:
Your company data must be secured without limiting employee's productivity, workflow, and the ability to collaborate.
Remember, Black Hat hackers will not cause all data breaches. However, employees may inadvertently expose you to a cyberattack through carelessness. According to Security Magazine, employees are 85% more likely today to leak files than they were pre-COVID.
A remote workforce risk management program will not eliminate risk, but it can more clearly help your IT team to deter, detect, make you aware of a cyberattack, and can help you create an effective, quick response. In addition, by continuously monitoring your security, you'll be able to protect your remote team and your data better. View cybersecurity training here.