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Poor Cyber Security Practices are Challenging Hybrid Environments

Organizations are facing obstacles as poor cyber security practices challenging hybrid environments for employee productivity and security.

The numbers showed that roughly 29 percent of workers are still using the same passwords for both personal and work accounts, posing a security risk to their company if their personal accounts are breached.

In a study of 2,000 employees conducted by a cyber security professional services company, the authors discovered that 39 percent of respondents often or always used their personal devices to access corporate accounts and content, while another 24 percent did so sometimes.

The report also notes 13 percent admitted to having lost over the last 12 months devices containing important or sensitive data used for work, which poses a threat of this information falling into the wrong hands.

It is being argued that the pandemic is causing a shift in the way a greater number of workers are accessing their corporate data. Today, more than ever, workers are accessing the data from their personal devices outside of the office. In the modern workplace, the number of employees working remotely has increased dramatically, thus presenting new risks and vulnerabilities to organizations due to poor cyber security.

Another issue is the lack of information security training within businesses, with 18 percent of employees saying they have never received data security or cybersecurity training, and a further 29 percent reporting it happens only once or twice a year within their organization. It also leads to a percentage of 24 percent of workers not knowing about the potentially harmful cyber threats that may affect their businesses.

Among thousands of workers, fewer than one in five always protect their web connections while working away from the office through VPNs or secure wireless, while 15 percent admit to never switching to a VPN (virtual private network) or secure wireless when working away, and another 15 percent say they are not sure if they do.

It is possible to mitigate the threats associated with remote and hybrid working by implementing a comprehensive, well-structured, and relevant program that addresses key areas, including technological advancement, up to date security policies and frameworks, and a clear understanding of what should be done with data in terms of storage and access. In order to completely eliminate the risk of cyber-attacks, this should be implemented in conjunction with ongoing training and education programs to promote cultural change among the most at risk population.

Poor Cyber Security Practices are Challenging Hybrid Environments 1

Cybersecurity Checklist

Here is a cybersecurity check list to identify threats, reduce vulnerability, and prepare to reduce poor cyber security.

  1. Develop an IT policy
  2. Training end users
  3. Software and OS updates
  4. Install the latest antivirus software
  5. Use strong passwords
  6. Define access control
  7. Reduce admin access
  8. Segment and divide the network
  9. Secure communications
  10. Secure your device
  11. Use layers of security
  12. Vulnerability testing and scanning
  13. Data Backups
  14. Cybersecurity response planning
  15. Security practices

Can you stop cyber attacks? There is no question about it, but you ought to be prepared with your cyber security in order to protect your organization from poor cyber security.

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