Hybrid working puts employers at risk of attack, survey says

Hybrid working arrangements put in place to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic could be putting Irish companies at more risk of a cyber attack, new research has found.

The Cyber Resilience Survey, which was carried out by Dell Technologies and the Executive Institute and questioned 113 business leaders on cyber resilience, found 69 per cent of Irish businesses leaders believe hybrid working arrangements will increase the chances of a cyberattack or incident. The majority of businesses - 91 per cent - said they had strengthened data protection in the past 12 months, and the same level said cyber resilience was a priority for leaders.

But despite the concerns over the possibility of an attack, more than half of companies said they would not know how to react if a cyber attack hit their company. And almost two thirds said they weren’t sure their business could isolate critical data - also known as air-gapping - if it was hit by a ransomware attack.

Meanwhile, the number of businesses that have put in place a response strategy for such attacks was only at 28 per cent. Just under 30 per cent said they would restore lost data from standard back-ups.

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“As we look towards a data-driven future, prioritising cybersecurity is critical to ensuring that businesses and organisations are better prepared, not just to survive a cyberattack, but to thrive,” said Jason Ward, Vice President and Managing Director, Dell Technologies Ireland. “Their business resilience is now directly tied to their cyber resilience.”

Enhancing this resilience was considered important to the success of digital transformation plans by 92 per cent of those surveyed. However, 55 per cent said the rising incidence of cyberattacks was a key barrier to building resilience, along with outdated technology, insufficient skills and investment.

Conor Morris, Managing Director of the Executive Institute, said: “The results of the survey highlight the increasing importance of cybersecurity for our members. As we enter a hybrid world of work, having a cyber resilience plan is vital in dealing with the challenges and opportunities of this post-pandemic environment.”