A recent government survey looks at the effects of the Covid pandemic on companies and charities as they deal with lockdowns, increased online activity and increased levels of cyber attacks and scams.
Some Key Points:
85% of businesses and 80% of charities say COVID-19 has made no change to the importance they place on cyber security although some organisations have increased their investment in IT and cyber security in response to the pandemic. Many organisations adopted new security solutions, including cloud security and multi-factor authentication, or more use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
Changes in Working Practice
Many organisations explained that COVID-19 and the ensuing move to home working initiated substantial changes in their digital infrastructure. This included issuing laptops or tablets to staff, setting up VPNs or using cloud systems and had to quickly approve new software.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made cyber security harder for many organisations, for reasons including:
- Direct security and user monitoring have become harder in organisations where staff are working remotely.
- Upgrading hardware, software and systems has also become more difficult. With staff working at home, there are more endpoints for organisations to keep track of.
- The pandemic had stretched resources and led to competing priorities in IT and cyber security teams.
As the UK emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, organisations might also consider what more
they can do to manage cyber security risks in a “blended” working environment (i.e. where staff
are regularly working both in offices and at home)
Se the survey for full details at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2021/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2021
If you have any experiences with these scams do let me know, by email.
