Remote working- a ticking time bomb for security?

Over the past 18 months, organisations were forced to rapidly transform in order to maintain business continuity. However alongside this, cybercrime was also on the rise, with KuppingerCole finding that endpoints connected to the internet experienced 1.5 attacks per minute in 2020.

This created a dangerous mix of increased cybercriminal activity, reduced visibility for security, and an increasingly distributed workforce working outside the range of IT. Furthermore, users have a new set of expectations around the technology they use and demand a seamless experience that doesn’t hinder their workflow, creating an uphill battle for cyber security teams.

It’s therefore never been more important to ensure that a positive security culture is rooted into the organisation, designed with usability in mind, while equipping security teams with advanced tools to improve visibility and enable remote management.

In a recent study using data from a global YouGov survey of 8,443 employees and 1,100 IT decision-makers, the key trend which appeared throughout was that employees are generally unsure about security policies and 34% view security as a hindrance, which may lead them to bypass security measures. The data also shows a large proportion of the of business are under pressure to ensure continuity, which can lead to compromises in security.

Working from home also increases the risk of endpoints being attacked, however only 23% of UK employees surveyed had been given training on how to protect their home network. This, alongside the rise in cyberattacks and employee resistance has led to 83% of IT teams believing home working has become a ‘ticking time bomb’ that might lead to a corporate network breach. However, despite the increasing level of threat, 76% of IT teams felt security had been forced to take a back seat to business continuity and 91% felt pressured to compromise security if it benefitted business continuity.

Read the full HP Rebellions & Rejections report to learn more.

So, how can this be overcome?

Employees are craving user-friendly security tools and eased restrictions, while under-pressure cyber-security teams need to find a way to reduce the burden of security and improve visibility into user behaviour and threats. Technology has a key role to play in delivering both.

HP Wolf Security is a new breed of endpoint security. HP’s portfolio of hardware-enforced security and endpoint-focused security services are designed to help organisations safeguard PCs, printers, and people from circling cyber predators.

View the portfolio below:

 At Ultima, keeping your organisation’s revenue & reputation safe, 24×7, is at the heart of our business. Click on the following links to learn more about HP Wolf Pro Security Edition, HP Wolf Pro Security Service, or HP Wolf Enterprise Security, or visit our security solutions page to learn more.

Why Ultima for HP Inc

Ultima has been an HP Inc partner for over 20 years, offering customers a wide range of hardware services and technical expertise. As an HP Amplify Power Partner, we have access to roadmaps and solutions that can provide mobility and improve productivity. Our partner status acts as proof of our ongoing commitment to keep our technical teams fully up-to-date with the latest product developments, in turn allowing us to give our customers the best and most current advice to make informed decisions about their IT infrastructure.