In the new era of remote work cyberattacks are finding a foothold. Leaving Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) dangerously unprepared. A new survey has identified employees as key contributors to this cybersecurity shortcoming. The problem starts at the top. Over three-quarters of SMEs’ C-suite and senior managers admitted they have no confidence that their teams are operating devices securely.
C-suite: Failure At The Top
The research, commissioned by Cowbell, a leading provider of cyber insurance for SMEs, found the following;
- 77% of SMEs are not confident that their employees’ own devices are operating securely with their business systems.
- 89% are not checking with employees to ensure their devices are running the most up-to-date software.
- 68% are not actively making their employees aware of the risks of using public Wi-Fi to access company devices.
- 80% of businesses do not have a policy in place to push software updates.
“…businesses can find themselves wide open at every coffee shop and neighbourhood their employees work and visit.”
Cowbell’s VP and General Manager (UK), Simon Hughes
Cowbell’s VP and General Manager (UK), Simon Hughes, says: “Business leaders have been thrown into an ever-changing and complex landscape with regards to cyber threats, alongside having to navigate new business processes associated with a rapidly transforming world of work. Many have stepped up to keep themselves as robustly protected as possible. However, team-related behaviours and gaps in knowledge highlighted in our research are leaving businesses exposed, showing the need for continual monitoring and action. If employees aren’t regularly made aware of cybersecurity risks, such as public wifi usage, businesses can find themselves wide open at every coffee shop and neighbourhood their employees work and visit.”
Three In Four Don’t Train To Identify Cyber Incidents
The survey also revealed that 3 in 4 businesses don’t provide training on identifying cyber incidents. Catherine Aleppo, Cowbell’s UK Sales Director, says: “With reliance being increasingly placed on employees, there needs to be more focus on cyber awareness training. Business owners must give their staff the tools and education, and ensure they’re continually aware of how to protect devices and digital assets more robustly. By making training readily available, we as an industry are making an important first step to encourage businesses to adopt a cyber-smart culture, but the research shows, there’s still more work to be done.”
The survey findings are a stark reminder that SMEs need to take cybersecurity more seriously. Employees are not the only contributing factor to risk either. The C-suites are also lacking cyber awareness. By training all employees and by implementing basic security measures, such as software updates and secure device usage, SMEs can significantly reduce their risk of cyberattack.Other News: BOXX Insurance Expands Cyber Insurance Protection(Opens in a new browser tab)