Businesses are forced to adopt new cybersecurity measures

Eighty five percent of US and UK employers were forced to adopt new cybersecurity measures because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to remote working, according to a SecureAge study.

When asked what types of tools they had implemented, 60% of US and UK business said that they had adopted cloud-based solutions, while 45% said they had embraced file level encryption and 41% had installed full disk encryption to bolster their cybersecurity infrastructure.

However, it wasn’t always an easy transition and the report shows that some 41% of US businesses and 38% of UK businesses said that ‘technical implementation challenges’ were the primary hurdle in getting their new COVID-driven cybersecurity protocols and strategies in place.

“The pandemic has fundamentally changed the way that we work,” said Jerry Ray, COO, SecureAge Technology. “And while many businesses have done well to adapt to remote work environments, many are still grappling with the learning curve and nuances of how to secure them effectively. This research shines a light on how employers are tackling some of these emerging cybersecurity challenges, as well as on the pain points and hurdles that remain in their way.”

“Clearly, many businesses did not have the right defences in place once the pandemic hit and were forced to scramble to keep up and overcome technical challenges,” added Ray.

“Modern cybersecurity depends on agility and sophisticated tech, so it is no surprise that businesses are adopting tools that equip them with the ability to respond to new threats on the fly and lock down all sensitive data. After all, nothing frustrates a cybercriminal more than getting their hands on useless, encrypted data.”