Specialist security firm Specops Software has surveyed 2,043 business owners in 11 different sectors. As reported in the Cyber Security Intelligence website, 41% of employees have not been given adequate cyber security training for working from home. 54% of business owners have seen a rise in cyber crime; despite this 52% would consider remote working on a permanent basis.
Increases in cyber crime since lockdown vary significantly by sector. The highest increases are computer and IT, 78%; medical and health, 73%; and accounting and banking, 67%. The three lowest increases are in creative arts, education and travel/hospitality sectors, all of which have been severely curtailed by the pandemic.
The biggest security concerns were ransomware at 96%, followed by cryprtojacking and phishing at 74% and 67% respectively.
Since remote working will continue for the forseeable future, Specops has safety advice for remote workers:
- Use tools that can check current passwords against breaches.
- Use "passphrases" - random words - as a substitute for easily breached passwords.
- Make sure to verify identities in service desk call to counter social engineering attacks (this is a good strategy to verify any response to an unsolicited message).
- Encrypt all devices using company data.
- Back up all critical data securely.