HLB Cybersecurity Report 2020
Navigating the cyber-risk landscape in the age of remote working
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many organisations across the globe to adopt remote working and digital processes with record speed. In doing so, CTOs and IT management faced increased vulnerabilities allowing for cyber-attacks and data breaches to take place more easily. Overnight, organisations went from controlled office environments to diverse home worksites. Continuing business, while securing multiple virtual environments, proved to be a challenge. But remote working is here to stay, so enterprises must adjust and overcome security hurdles.
In light of Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2020, we surveyed 76 IT professionals about their perceptions on information security and data protection in today’s complex digital environment. We also spoke with HLB cybersecurity experts about today’s cyber-risk landscape, the lessons learned from lockdown and the road ahead for CTOs to protect against cyber-crime in the age of remote working.
Key findings
- IT professionals report cybersecurity changes
- Organisations notice increase in suspicious activity
- Information security not considered 100% secure
- Levels of readiness for lockdown varied
Across the globe, companies shifted teams to remote work to reduce disruptions to business when governments announced lockdown measures to prevent the further spread of Coronavirus. While business continuity was the most immediate, and pressing concern, changes also had to reflect the unexpected cybersecurity challenges of virtual workforces.

From mobile security threats to unauthorised access to files, recent cyber-attacks shed light on an increasing problem. These online assaults may affect multiple networks and computers. It disables programs and steals data. Cyber-attacks may also use your remote workers’ computers to launch additional attacks. Cyber-risks include reputational damage, financial loss, and disruption to business operations.

To manage cyber-risk, it’s necessary to adapt the three tenets of information security to remote working environments, as every threat to security is not necessarily malicious. Major security breaches have been caused by well-intentioned users, which is why security training is essential. Access to data should be given to users on the principle of least privilege, which means that the level of access given to users should be confined to what they need to accomplish their duties.

Infrastructure plays a crucial role in data confidentiality, so now that data is accessible in more places, professionals are under pressure to address their approach to cybersecurity and regulatory compliance standards while people remote work. As organisations increasingly move away from the concept of office space and consider remote working a longer-term or more integrated solutions, IT teams need to ensure infrastructure en security meet long-term remote working business requirements.

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