Cybersecurity Expert Shares Tips for Businesses and Employees to Work from Home Safely

IBM Security recently released findings from a study focused on the behaviors and security risks of those new to working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study shows more than 80% of respondents either rarely worked from home or not at all prior to the pandemic, and in turn, more than half are now doing so with no new security policies to help guide them. The shift to work from home has exposed new security risks and left nearly 50% of those employees worried about impending cyber threats in their new office settings.

Now that more than half of the U.S. population is working from home, and a large percentage is expected to continue through 2020, companies are playing catch up as they attempt to manage the security risks of rushed remote work models. Business activities that were once conducted in protected office environments, and monitored under specific policies, have now quickly transitioned to new, less secure territory. For example, customer service agents who worked in closely managed call centers are now managing sensitive customer data at home.

The rapid shift to work from home has also changed the ways many organizations do business from moving face to face meetings to video conferencing calls, to adding new collaboration tools – yet the survey showed many employees are lacking guidance, direction and policies. The survey is comprised of responses from more than 2,000 Americans newly working remotely. Charles Henderson shares more!

For more information:
IBM.com/Security
IBM.com/XForeRed