How the pandemic its impact on cybersecurity – Guide
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced millions of professionals around the world to work remotely. This has created huge opportunities for hackers, as 48% of US respondents said they have been targeted by phishing emails, calls or text messages, both personally and professionally. Six months working home has also proved to be a risky proposition for many professionals – with more than half of survey respondents in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) as well as Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) reporting phishing during the pandemic. To help protect themselves from this type of attack, experts are urging people to be aware of the warning signs and take appropriate action before it becomes too late. ..
Sailpoint CMO Juliette Rijkallah told Security Magazine that phishing attacks are becoming more common, as hackers target employees with malicious links in carefully crafted emails. When clicked, employees inadvertently download keylogging software to their PCs that provide their credentials to malicious actors. Identity Protection can be used to detect suspicious user behavioral anomalies, such as large data downloads or activity outside of business hours, and correct them before they pose a threat. ..
How the pandemic affects cybersecurity
Organizations were reasonably prepared for the global pandemic
Thirty-nine percent of respondents say they were very prepared to secure WFH devices and applications, while 34 percent were prepared. Twenty-seven percent were unprepared.
COVID-19 and WFH are driving enhanced collaboration
The COVID-19 issues have resulted in significant improvements in coordination between business, IT and security executives as a result of the new virus. However, 38% of organizations have had marginal improvements in the relationship.
COVID-19/WFH has had an impact on cybersecurity professionals and their organizations
According to research, COVID-19 has forced cybersecurity professionals to change their priorities and activities. Additionally, the number of meetings they have to attend has increased, as have the work-associated stress levels. However, 48% of respondents say WFH has impacted the security team’s ability to support new applications and business initiatives.
Most organizations do not believe the pandemic will increase cybersecurity spending in 2020
A majority of respondents (55%) believe that the COVID-19 security requirements will lead to an increase in security spending in 2020, while only 20% believe that the requirements will have no impact. 25% of respondents think their organizations will be forced to decrease security spending this year, with a majority pointing to priority areas such as identity and access management, endpoint security, web and email security, and data security. ..
COVID-19 may not affect cybersecurity priorities
Seventy percent of respondents say they do not know or believe that this crisis will make cybersecurity a higher priority. Only 30% say cybersecurity will be a higher priority. Finally, is COVID-19 causing cybersecurity professionals to worry about their jobs or career choices? Overall, the answer appears to be “no” to both questions, however, the data seems to indicate that there is more uncertainty in the near term about current cybersecurity efforts. ..
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on individuals working in the cybersecurity field. Nearly two-thirds of cybersecurity professionals believe their organizations will be more flexible with work-from-home policies in the future, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has personally impacted many individuals, who have seen their jobs and lives change because of COVID-19.
While it is promising to see that most organizations have managed to handle the COVID-19 pandemic very well, it is surprising that we are not seeing an increase in cybersecurity spending or prioritization following this event. If anything, this should serve as a wake-up call that cybersecurity is what allows businesses to stay open and operational. Organizations that prioritize cybersecurity as a result of the pandemic are likely to emerge as leaders in the next wave of cybersecurity process innovation and best practices.
Final note
The pandemic has had a significant impact on cybersecurity. In this guide, we will discuss some of the ways in which the pandemic has affected cybersecurity. If you have any questions about this article, please feel free to ask us. Additionally, please share this article with your friends to help spread awareness about the pandemic’s impact on cybersecurity. ..
