Nearly three-quarters (73%) of security and IT executives are concerned about additional risks posed to their organization by a distributed workforce since COVID-19, according to the Skybox Security 2020 Cybersecurity in the New Normal: Securing the Distributed Workforce report.
In the survey of 295 executives, the security firm reported it has observed a 34% year-on-year rise in vulnerabilities in 2020, which it said is a “leading indicator for the growth of future attacks.”
It highlighted that many organizations are not taking the steps needed to adequately protect their remote workforces. Over 30% of respondents revealed that software updates and BYOD policies were deprioritized since the start of the pandemic, while 42% said reporting was deprioritized.
In addition, almost a third (32%) found it difficult to validate whether network and security configurations undermine their security posture, and over half (55%) admitted it was at least moderately difficult to determine whether these configurations did not increase risk.
This is despite the fact that 70% of the security and IT executives predict that at least a third of their workforce will still be operating remotely in 18 months’ time.
The researchers also found that there was some complacency amongst the respondents in regard to their organizations’ security capabilities. Although only 11% stated they could confidently maintain a holistic security approach, 93% felt sure changes were being correctly validated.
“Traditional detect-and-respond approaches are no longer enough. A radical new approach is needed – one that is rooted in the development of preventative and prescriptive vulnerability and threat management practices,” commented Gidi Cohen, co-founder and CEO, Skybox Security. “To advance change, it is integral that everything, including data and talent, is working towards enriching the security program as a whole.”