The COVID-19 pandemic has quickly changed the work landscape. Professionals who were not essential were asked to remain at home and find ways to work remotely. Thanks to the internet, working from home has been relatively easy. All employees need are a good table and chair, reliable internet, and a computer, and they can proceed with their usual work routine online.
A year has passed. While some countries and states are gradually embracing the new normal and returning to old routines, some companies and organizations have decided to stick to the remote work setup. The danger of the virus is still present so people still feel safer in their homes. But is it truly safer?
The Threat to Remote Workers
Unfortunately, the challenges people are experiencing today do not stop cyber attackers. Now that the online setups are widely implemented, unscrupulous individuals have more opportunities and more victims.
MIT Sloan released a report urging people to increase their cyber protection during these trying times. According to the report, the number of cyberattacks has tripled since the beginning of the pandemic, with the FBI receiving at least three to four thousand complaints daily. These hackers try to get into systems of various corporations via their employees working from home with unprotected setups. They even target essential industries that continuously operate, such as health care, financial services, public sector organizations, and manufacturing.
Although the focus is on big corporations and companies, it does not mean private individuals are safe. In fact, one analysis showed that 90 percent of cyber data breaches are caused by human error, with remote workers as the main targets of these online attackers.
As reported, the attackers take advantage of a distracted workforce and their weak security. Since everyone is experiencing personal and financial struggles at home while adjusting to the new normal, hackers use this opportunity to create confusion until they discover how to access their victims’ personal information.
Some common cyberattacks are malware and email phishing. Since people are online almost all the time, they are more prone to this hacker trick. The development of technology brings the improvement of phishing tactics. Phishing emails in the modern age appear more legitimate as time goes on, tricking more people into clicking a link or downloading a file.
As a company or organization that is implementing a work from home setup and using a unique system inclusive to the company, you also have a responsibility to equip your employees and protect them against these attacks. Doing so would also protect the company and all of its crucial online assets.
Conclusion
Most of the attacks occur due to people’s lack of knowledge, but this could be prevented with proper training and information dissemination. Once you provide awareness to the team about the current reality, they would even be the first to spot potential threats and share them with the team. Aside from building awareness, having strong cybersecurity measures would lessen the chances of online attacks.
If you are a remote worker concerned about cybersecurity, make sure you do something about it. If you need professional help, My IT Central is the IT service provider ready to equip your business with the protection it needs. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.
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