Enterprises across the world pay millions in losses when their corporate network is breached; the losses increase if the hackers have found a way in due to non-compliance with security measures
Security leaders point out that cyber threats didn’t suddenly result due to the pandemic. The nefarious activity has existed right from the beginning, and the occurrence has increased due to the remote workforce during the global lockdown. Non-compliant and careless employees contribute significantly to cyberattacks on even the most secure security profiles.
Increased cases of hacking
Leaders acknowledge that the pandemic has given rise to new cyber threats. Unknown vectors include brute force methods, unsecured remote desktop devices, email scams, false COVID-19 information mailer chains, etc.
Sensitive information protection
CIOs say that as employees work from home, it leaves them in the dark about the best practices implementation and unsafe storage of sensitive data. So enterprises require a robust plan of action.
They need to be aware of the current cyber threat environment. To attach personal devices connected to the corporate network, hackers don’t require malware. To prevent such attacks, security leaders prefer undaunted and unemotional AI tools. They are easy to adapt and won’t be compromised by human errors.
Read More: COVID-19 exposing the Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities of Enterprises
Enterprises are concerned about the increased presence of employees and data on the Internet when they need to confer with their colleagues. Such activities increase the entry points that attackers have to enter the corporate network. It is especially easier when corporate firewalls and emails do not protect such entry points.
Security personnel points out that more phishing links come to personal emails than work emails as corporate email gateways prevent them. But when the same device is used to access both work and personal email, hackers find it easy to gain unauthorized access to the corporate network.
Insiders who also happen to be outsiders
CIOs say that not only are team members and departments telecommuting, even the security stakeholders and IT personnel are connecting from remote workstations to protect the corporate network.
IT personnel are at a loss on how to influence employees with better cyber awareness and hygiene. They point out that many nefarious actors impersonated as mails from HMRC and IRS that end-users were anxious to claim the benefits of.
Safeguarding the networks and employees
CIOs agree that employees are always on the front whenever an incident of cyber breach occurs. It is regardless of the attack location is at the office or home. They acknowledge that when hackers target a remote employee, they have to wait until the employee opens a remote VPN connection or returns to the office for abusing the compromised credentials and gain unauthorized access to the enterprise.
To ensure seamless productivity and extended remote work, organizations have opened continuous connections from the office network to employees’ home network. This, however, allows hackers the opportunity to abuse the access immediately.
Read More: Cybersecurity and Risks with Remote Working – Cyber Threats Are For Real
Security leaders believe that such issues can be mitigated with standard solutions.
Installing real-time AI applications on employee devices:
It will help increase the real-time decision-making skills of end-users to prevent nefarious activities that can bypass the existing security measures. Browser-based AI-application will secure employees and end-users from phishing emails received on personal networks like WhatsApp, LinkedIn, and email.
Improved awareness training:
While CIOs acknowledge that these training pieces have not always proven effective, they can assure a drastic reduction in the success of the phishing campaign.
Communication:
Company-wide open communication is vital for employees to feel like they are important stakeholders in the organization’s data security.
