In the Cost of Data Breach Report 2022, IBM state that cyber breaches incurred costs of nearly $1 million more where remote working was a factor in causing the breach, than breaches where it was not. For example: theft of remote worker credentials. The IBM study found that cyber attack costs were highest for organisations with the highest proportion of remote workers.
Remote Working Cyber Risks
Remote and hybrid work creates additional cyber security risks because organisations have less control over remote working environments. The remote location may have weaker network security as work files and systems are accessed via home or public WiFi.
Weak WiFi networks may be exploited by man-in-the-middle attacks where communication or data is intercepted as it transmits between the workers device and the network. Attackers may also set up malicious spoof WiFi networks with names that mimic legitimate networks in an attempt to access devices and steal information. Home or public WiFi connections may have inadequate router security configurations, which also creates vulnerabilities for attackers to exploit e.g. lack of firewalls, weak passwords, and out-of-date firmware.
One mitigation of WiFi related risks is implementation of secure virtual private networks (VPNs) to encrypt internet traffic. VPNs ideally require multi-factor authentication (MFA) to gain access and adopt a zero-trust approach.
Remote work increases the potential for blending of personal and work-related activities. The chances of encountering phishing attempts while engaged in non-work-related online activities increase if the same devices are used for personal and work-related tasks. This may compromise access to work related files.
Personal devices may lack adequate security configurations or have outdated software, increasing the risk of malware, ransomware, and unauthorised access. Robust cyber security software on all remote devices is critical, regardless of whether they are owned personally or by the company. Retail anti-virus software is inadequate for business use. Ideally, businesses need a multi-pronged approach to remote working cyber security, including endpoint security that will prevent, detect, and respond to cyber threats.
Remote Working Password Security
Remote work may place a greater reliance on online accounts and systems to perform work-related tasks. Each of these may require a password for authentication. Without proper security policies, remote workers may not follow best practices, such as using unique and strong passwords, regularly updating passwords, or securely storing them. Indeed, Statista report that 24% of UK adults rotate just one to six passwords across all accounts, which increases opportunities for cyber attackers to access multiple systems, should they obtain a password via phishing, brute force attacks, or stolen data.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a risk mitigation approach that should be adopted here. With MFA in place, even if a password falls into the wrong hands, the attacker will not be able to gain system access without access to the additional factor such as the user's device.
Is Remote Working Bad for Cyber Security?
So does this mean remote working is too much of a security risk? No, but businesses need to be aware of the potential risks of remote working and ensure that cyber security systems, software, and procedures are robust enough. Cyber security training of remote workers will also help to improve remote cyber security and protect against data breaches, and other cyber attacks.
This article was written by MCATS IT Ltd, providers of IT solutions for large enterprises and SMEs.
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