Heightened concerns around IT security linked to substantial rise in remote working

Conducted among UK IT professionals, the Wire research discovered that 28% of those IT professionals questioned have experienced a rise in anxiety, 23% have experienced loss of sleep, 20% have seen a decline in their mental health and 15% have experienced an increase in depression as a result of heightened concerns around security threats with the rise of remote working.

COVID-19 has seen employees bombarded by a staggering volume of spam, smishing, vishing and phishing attacks, with ever-more realistic imitations of messages sent out impersonating well-recognised Government agencies and business brands. This opportunistic targeting underlines the inherent risk of relying on e-mail for secure business communications.

“The rise in remote work is undoubtedly here to stay and undoubtedly yielding incredible benefits for individuals and businesses,” explained Morten Brøgger, CEO of Wire. “However, this rapid change is placing an incredible strain on IT professionals as they adapt to such a dramatic shift in how teams are now set up and working.”

Brøgger continued: “It’s crucial that IT professionals receive the full support of business leaders to navigate these changes and the heightened risk of security threats. The threat landscape has changed dramatically and cyber crime is expected to cost the global economy $6 trillion annually unless better measures are put in place.”

On that last point, Brøgger noted: “Unfortunately, many businesses are relying upon outdated collaboration tools and insecure e-mail not suited to this new environment. Without upgrading their collaboration tools to more secure alternatives designed for the world of remote work, the burden of responsibility will continue to exact a human cost for IT professionals.”