• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

My TechDecisions

  • COVID-19 Update
  • Best of Tech Decisions
  • Topics
    • Video
    • Audio
    • Mobility
    • Unified Communications
    • IT Infrastructure
    • Network Security
    • Physical Security
    • Facility
    • Compliance
  • RFP Resources
  • Resources
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Project of the Week
  • About Us
    SEARCH
IT Infrastructure, Mobility, News

Report: COVID-19 and Remote Work is Leading to Increasing Cyber Attacks

According to a new study from VMWare Carbon Black, the vast majority of businesses have seen an uptick in cyber attacks since the COVID-19 crisis began.

July 22, 2020 Zachary Comeau Leave a Comment

COVID-19 Cybersecurity, COVID-19 Cyber attacks

Cybercriminals are an opportunistic bunch and seize on vulnerabilities whenever and wherever they arise. They capitalize on international news and trends, so COVID-19 was a prime opportunity.

According to a new cybersecurity study from VMWare Carbon Black, the vast majority of businesses have seen an uptick in attacks since the crisis began and employees started working from home.

Remote work brings additional cybersecurity challenges as employees log on through their home networks or with personal devices that might not be as secure as office environments. Cybercriminals are also targeting the cloud, which organizations are relying on to help facilitate remote work

According to VMWare’s Global Threat Report, 91% of all global respondents said they’ve seen an increase in cyber attacks as a result of employees working from home.

That is truly remarkable and paints a grim picture and illustrates the importance of a robust remote work plan that highlights cybersecurity as a critical component.

Of those reporting an increase, 7% said the attacks have increased by between 50% and 100%, and 24% said attacks have increased between 25% and 49%.

Singapore led the way in reporting attack increases, with 93% of respondents claiming that fact. The UK was next at 92%, followed by Italy at 90.5% and the U.S. at 88%. Only those four countries were surveyed.

More findings from the study include:

  • Media and entertainment companies are being hit hard, with 14.5% of them saying attacks are increasing between 50% and 100%.
  • Retail was also high on that same scale at 13%, but also in the 25% to 49% scale at 45%.
  • Manufacturing and engineering firms (33%) also said they saw an increase between 25% and 49%.
  • The study also suggests that the increase in attacks related to the company size, as 41% of companies with 501 to 1,000 employees reported high attack increases of between 25% and 100%.
  • Just over a quarter of those with IT team sizes of more than 100 saw attacks increase at least 50%, while 18% with IT team sizes between 41 and 50 saw similar increases.

Read the full report for more information, but it was clear even before this report that remote work is expanding the threat landscape and can open your organization up to new vulnerabilities.

After that, check out a My TechDecisions Podcast episode about how organizations can stay secure and support remote workers.

Tagged With: COVID-19, Cybersecurity, Remote Work

Related Content:

  • Video Production, Enterprise IT Modernizing Video Applications in Enterprise Environments
  • Zero Trust, ZTNA, Syxsense Syxsense Unveils New Module for Zero Trust Compliance
  • Insider Risk, cyber risk, insurance, cybersecurity GlobalData GlobalData: Cybersecurity Revenue in Insurance Set to Grow…
  • This Week in IT, IT News This Week in IT: Google Meet, Cisco Attack,…

Free downloadable guide you may like:

  • Shadow ITBlueprint Series: How to Reduce Shadow IT

    The distributed work model gives employees the flexibility they demand, but it can lead to shadow IT and introduce unnecessary security risk. Research finds that this distributed work environment is leading to IT management blind spots and shadow IT.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get the FREE Tech Decisions eNewsletter

Sign up Today!

Latest Downloads

Shadow IT
Blueprint Series: How to Reduce Shadow IT

The distributed work model gives employees the flexibility they demand, but it can lead to shadow IT and introduce unnecessary security risk. Resea...

Hybrid Work webinar
Featured Webcast: Collaboration 2.0 — Where Are We Now?

In this webinar, subject matter experts discuss the transformation of the workplace, the rise of hybrid workers, the importance of open connectivit...

guide to end user training cover
Pro Tips for Conducting End User Training

Effective trainings are the glue that can make the difference following a new technology implementation that your team has spent so much time, effo...

View All Downloads

Would you like your latest project featured on TechDecisions as Project of the Week?

Apply Today!
Sharp Microsoft Collaboration HQ Logo

Learn More About the
Windows Collaboration Display

More from Our Sister Publications

Get the latest news about AV integrators and Security installers from our sister publications:

Commercial IntegratorSecurity Sales

AV-iQ

Footer

TechDecisions

  • Home
  • Welcome to TechDecisions
  • Subscribe to the Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Media Solutions & Advertising
  • Comment Guidelines
  • RSS Feeds
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin

Free Technology Guides

FREE Downloadable resources from TechDecisions provide timely insight into the issues that IT, A/V, and Security end-users, managers, and decision makers are facing in commercial, corporate, education, institutional, and other vertical markets

View all Guides
TD Project of the Week

Get your latest project featured on TechDecisions Project of the Week. Submit your work once and it will be eligible for all upcoming weeks.

Enter Today!
Emerald Logo
ABOUTCAREERSAUTHORIZED SERVICE PROVIDERSTERMS OF USEPRIVACY POLICY

© 2022 Emerald X, LLC. All rights reserved.