The number of people working from home shot up during the global pandemic.
For many companies it was the only way to keep the business going, despite the risks.
Most people focus on the risk of reduced productivity. However, a far bigger issue is cybersecurity.
Once you take a look at the following remote work cybersecurity statistics you’ll quickly appreciate the importance of checking and upgrading your systems.
This is an ongoing issue as, although many people have returned to the workplace, there are plenty that haven’t.
Statistics show that 17% of US employees were working remotely before the pandemic.
This increased to 44% during Covid-19 and has remained over 30% since the end of lockdowns.
In short, if you’re running a business you probably have at least one remote worker and you need to start taking cybersecurity seriously.
Key Statistics
Cybercriminals have been busy, the remote work cybersecurity statistics are impressive.
- 45% of businesses have had their networks compromised in the last 12 months
- 79% of businesses have found remote working detrimental to their company
- 52% of workers think reaching deadlines is more important than cybersecurity
- Phishing emails have increased by 600%
- 68% of companies don’t add antivirus software to work devices issued for home use
- 24% of business have spent money dealing with malware
- The cost of a data breach has increased by $137,000 thanks to remote work
- 26% of employees are holding onto valuable company data; just in case
- 20% of organizations have experienced a security breach due to remote workers
- The US is the most popular target for cyber criminals
Top Remote Work Cybersecurity Statistics in 2024
1. 45% Of Businesses Have Had Their Networks Compromised In The Last 12 Months
Remote terminals and devices tend to have less security and companies haven’t been prepared for the additional security requirements of remote working.
This has created an array of possibilities for cybercriminals.
45% of businesses have experienced compromised networks in 2022, that’s 22% more businesses than in 2021.
The truth is hacking remotely to a business server is much easier when there are existing remote channels.
(Mobile Security Index)
2. 79% Of Businesses Have Found Remote Working Detrimental To Their Company
The majority of businesses had to allow remote working to facilitate survival during the pandemic.
However, the change in working systems meant that 79% of businesses were unprepared for the change.
In order to maintain security these businesses have needed to invest significant funds in cybersecurity, causing a detrimental effect to the business, even if they haven’t lost data to remote hacking.
(Mobile Security Index)
3. 52% Of Workers Think Reaching Deadlines Is More Important Than Cybersecurity
Perhaps the biggest issue for businesses and cybersecurity threats is that the majority of employees don’t see the issue.
In the latest survey, 52% of employees favored getting the job done over establishing the best security protocols.
In other words, they were leaving the network exposed to threats in order to complete work for a deadline.
This happens across different industries, suggesting it’s a trend in human behavior.
Unfortunately, this means that, no matter how good the cybersecurity system is, your data can still be hacked.
Businesses need to train employees to look after cybersecurity first, even if that means running late on a deadline.
It’s worth noting, 85% of businesses have funds dedicated to improving security on remote networks and devices.
This is irrelevant if employees will put getting work done above the security of the network.
(Mobile Security Index)
4. Phishing Emails Have Increased By 600%
New software and apps are making it easier than ever to create phishing emails.
Unfortunately, they are increasingly realistic.
That means, it’s not just a simple way for cybercriminals to try their luck, it’s an increasingly effective approach.
The more realistic the phishing site, the more likely it is that an employee, focused on getting the job done, will accidentally click a bad link.
Phishing emails are the most common cause of data breaches, especially from home devices.
That explains why cybercriminals are sending a lot more of them.
Statistics show that the number of phishing emails sent had increased by a whopping 600%.
An associated statistic from Google is equally alarming.
Google reported blocking 18 million phishing emails just in April 2020!
(Varonis)
5. 68% Of Companies Don’t Add Antivirus Software to Work Devices Issued For Home Use
A recent survey by Fintech looked at how many home devices had antivirus software.
The answer was alarming. 68% of home devices, issued by the employer, haven’t got any form of security installed.
While some of these devices have software installed by the user, the majority of devices are simply used.
That is the same as leaving the door open for criminals.
(Fintech News)
6. 24% Of Business Have Spent Money Dealing With Malware
Phishing and malware are the two biggest threats to companies.
While phishing allows criminals to steal login details and access the company data, malware can do anything from spying on all keyboard inputs to simply slowing your computer.
As the amount of attacks has increased, so has the number of success stories for cybercriminals.
When this occurs businesses need to react quickly and resolve the issue.
Nearly a quarter of all businesses have had to spend money dealing with an unexpected and sinister intrusion.
(IBM)
7. The Cost Of A Data Breach Has Increased By $137,000 Thanks To Remote Work
Cyber attacks have become more common which means, by the law of averages, cybercriminals are likely to see more success.
In some cases the data breach is small and not of significant value. In others, the data breach can be costly financially and to your reputation.
The latest survey suggests the average cost of a data breach has increased by $137,000.
That’s a significant sum of money for most businesses.
(Cybersecurity)
8. 26% Of Employees Are Holding Onto Valuable Company Data; Just In Case
Alarmingly, confidence in businesses has reduced.
Many employees don’t feel the company they currently work for has the right business plan or funds to keep trading in the long term.
As such, employees are keeping their eyes open for alternate options.
One of these is to go to a competitor and secure a job with a good package in return for company data from their last job.
According to the survey, 26% of employees are concerned enough about the future to hold onto valuable data, just in case.
(Tech Republic)
9. 20% Of Organizations Have Experienced A Security Breach Due To Remote Workers
Remote workers are generally focused on deadlines and performance.
This means they will either assume that the cybersecurity is good or not even think about it.
Unfortunately, as many businesses haven’t invested enough in remote security, that makes remote workers the most obvious and easy target.
It’s something that hackers know, and 20% of businesses have discovered as they have experienced a data breach via a remote worker’s terminal.
(Proxyrack)
10. The US Is The Most Popular Target For Cyber Criminals
The data shows that there have been over 7 million attacks per million people in the US in just one year.
In other words, everyone has been targeted at least seven times in the course of a year.
Canada and the UK are commonly attacked and are near the top of the list.
However, what may surprise you is that France is the second most targeted nation.
They have approximately 6.5 million attacks per million people!
In some respects, this isn’t surprising.
Western countries have large populations and expansive digital infrastructures, making them obvious targets.
In fact, there have been 2.4 billion data breaches in the US since the start of the digital era.
(Google)
Protecting Your Remote Workers
Protecting your remote workers will help to keep your data safe and avoid the cost of a data breach; both financially and reputationally.
There are several steps you can take.
Access Controls
It’s essential for all businesses to establish access controls. That means, defining who can access a document and what it can be used for.
This helps to secure access to those that need it and makes it harder for employees to keep valuable documents.
If possible, it’s a good idea to use dual-factor authentication when anyone is trying to gain access.
Training
Perhaps the most important step that all businesses should do is to train their employees.
Put simply, your employees may not appreciate the danger they put themselves and the company in when they ignore security protocols.
Regular training sessions will advise them of the risks, current issues, and any other relevant information.
This includes what phishing scams are and how to manage personal passwords.
The best option is to ensure all employees have access to a password manager and generator.
This is the most secure approach to passwords and, therefore, data security.
This is also a good opportunity to make sure employees know system security comes before deadlines.
The key to managing deadlines is to talk to someone if you’re not going to make the deadline.
Secure Storage
Dedicated cloud storage providers will generally have dedicated security solutions.
These are likely to be better than the security you have on your own system.
Simply check the reputation of several cloud storage systems and choose the one that is reliable and secure.
You can then transfer your data to the cloud. It doesn’t just make it easier for everyone to access, it also offers better security.
Add Firewalls, etc.
You should already have firewalls and antivirus software. If you haven’t, now is the time to invest.
Assuming you have got them it’s important to regularly review what protection they offer and how effective they have been at protecting you.
Keeping these systems updated and reviewed will help you to maximize your system protection and reduce the risk of data breaches.
Update Software
All software providers are monitoring their software and looking for threats of any nature.
They also check for weaknesses. If any are found they will fix the issue and update the software.
You need to regularly check the software to see if any updates are available.
Upgrading as quickly as possible is the best way to keep your system protected.
Monitor
Employees working from home can still be monitored, the connection that logs them in will allow your IT team to check their device.
It’s important that this is done regularly.
You’ll speed up the process of finding errors and even data breaches, allowing you to react quickly and effectively.
Alongside this, regularly check your own abilities to deal with a cyber attack. If you have an in-house team make sure their knowledge is up to date.
If not, make sure you have a plan to ensure your IT infrastructure is looked after and you know who to contact if a breach occurs.
Summing Up
Any data breach can be seriously detrimental to a business.
You’re likely to lose data!
This means a financial implication for the business, both in terms of recapturing lost data and upgrading systems to prevent it from happening again.
In some cases, the financial cost is significant enough to force the closure of the business.
A bigger risk is the reputational damage. Consumers will be wary about placing data with you after you’ve experienced a data breach.
That can be extremely detrimental to your business, even causing closure through lack of trade.
As these remote work cyber security statistics show, the risk of being attacked and your system being breached is growing rapidly.
It’s important to take steps today to reduce your risk and protect your data.
Fortunately, everything you need can be easily installed on your system, just follow the tips above.