Cyber threats are the top concerns while employees are working from home

Most organizations made a quick transition to a remote workforce and a more intense focus on serving customers through digital channels. This created a rapid surge in demand for digital capabilities, products, and services. The digital response to the COVID-19 crisis has also created new security vulnerabilities. Attackers seek to exploit the gaps opened when telecommuting employees use insecure devices and networks. It is also reported identifying more than a dozen government-backed groups using COVID-19 themes for these attempts.

The world is on the brink of a disruption as great as last year's sudden shift to remote work: the move to hybrid - a blended model where some employees return to the workplace and others continue to work from home. A report says 70% of those responding believe that the ability to continue telecommuting will factor into their next job choice. Remote workforces, cybersecurity teams need to address new risks while helping create business value in the next normal.

During this pandemic we've observed a swift acceleration of certain pre-COVID trends. But perhaps one of the most exciting trends is the rise in remote work. As opportunity is democratized with remote work and talent movement, we'll see a spread of skills across the country and this is the time for business leaders to take the opportunity to access to different skills and talent not previously available to them.

The choices you make today will impact your organization for years to come. It's a moment that requires clear vision and a growth mindset. These decisions will impact everything from how you shape culture, how you attract and retain talent, to how you can better foster collaboration and innovation. Without the security protections that office systems afford to the employees– such as firewalls and blacklisted IP addresses – and increased reliance on technology, we are far more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Adapting to this new hybrid model will require rethinking of long-held assumptions.

A survey reveals that 95% of CEOs speak on cyber threats as the top concern while employees are working from home. Cyber threats are the top concern for CEOs in the asset and wealth management, insurance, private equity, banking and capital markets, and technology sectors, according to PwC. But in a period of disruption, where the role of technology has been more critical than ever, so is digital transformation. Many workers and companies have embraced remote working conditions with video, VPNs, and collaboration software, the lack of face to face meetings has taken its toll on socially starved employees.

A recent report found that there has been a 600% increase in reported phishing emails since the end of February, with many of them cashing in on the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic .Organisations should also be concerned about remote employees using their own devices.