The shift to remote work during the pandemic has brought forth heightened cybersecurity risks.
The pandemic-induced lockdowns forced businesses to rapidly adapt to remote work setups, which significantly increased the attack surface for cyber threats.
In a remote work scenario, all our digital activities are interconnected, and often, security protocols are overlooked. Employees fail to update applications, click on suspicious links, and, in some cases, use vulnerable networks,” said Prof.(Capt.) SB Tyagi, Chief Councillor, ICSSM at BW Security World Conclave & Excellence Awards 2023 (Day 2).
Prof. Tyagi highlighted that profits of businesses declined during the early days of the pandemic.
“When operations resumed, many employees continued to work remotely, sometimes from distant locations. This new normal gave rise to another concern – a criminal genic atmosphere that encouraged illicit activities. Opportunistic individuals saw the crisis as an opportunity to exploit security vulnerabilities,” he stated.
Prof. Tyagi cited the survey by security software provider Lumu Technologies saying, “The survey found that 78 per cent of CISOs considered security improvements for remote employees and risk-based vulnerability management as their “most urgent projects.”
As organisations continue to navigate the post-pandemic world, the lessons from the past must inform their approach to cybersecurity. “We must remain vigilant and prioritise cybersecurity in our remote work environments to protect sensitive data and ensure business continuity,” he stressed.
