Identify Key Risk Factors to Safely Prepare for the Arrival of the Hybrid Workforce  

As companies get into another difficult year of remote working, the debate about a mass return to the office is gaining traction. The reality is that remote working isn’t going away, and it’s time to embrace a future with a hybrid workforce.

According to a Telegraph 2020 report, by 2025, an estimated 25% of UK staff will work remotely full-time, and companies will have to manage a hybrid workforce spread across several locations. Organizations now understand what can be accomplished from the comfort of their own homes, and the concept of operating alone in an office has become obsolete. The word “workplace” has never had a more ambiguous meaning.

This poses a series of difficult challenges for IT teams. The shift to remote working has resulted in an unprecedented rise in cybersecurity threats: in the last 12 months, there have been more data breaches than in the previous 15 years combined. Organizations are racing against the clock to avoid being the next target.

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Keeping company devices safe from hackers

An integrated security platform should be a top priority for those who can afford to upgrade their hardware. IT teams should remain one step ahead of security threats and keep company data secure by enrolling devices that come encrypted with a security framework designed from the chip up.

In order to secure data from itself, hardware is now being upgraded. Trusting a device’s main operating system to store sensitive data may seem secure, but it can easily fall into the wrong hands if it is compromised. Data can be isolated by integrating security-specific hardware – a new secure processor and isolated secure memory with new integrated software inside a system. This creates many obstacles for hackers to overcome even after gaining access to the device.

These are the kinds of solutions that are already on the minds of IT leaders as they plan their purchases for 2021. According to a Samsung survey, core enhancements across security platforms (45 % of decision-makers), outdated software (37 %), and hardware (35 %) were the top priorities for the year 2021.

No one is immune to cybercrime

When it comes to managing company data, it’s critical to remind employees of their responsibilities on a regular basis, particularly if they work remotely.

Also Read: Top Data Security Practices Every CISO Needs to Know in 2021

Approximately nine out of ten security breaches were caused by human error. Clearly, employee training must continue to be a priority, wherever they are, as password sharing (48 %) and phishing attacks (45 %) were chosen as the top security issues of remote workers.

Mobility will certainly play a crucial role in bringing digital transformation efforts to life in the 21st century’s own “Roaring 20s.” However, the potential excitement must be balanced with reasonable levels of caution and safety, and companies must implement a mobility strategy that allows for more choice, protection, and control.