A new report has been released, and it has quickly reached the list of Google Trends. It suggests that the tech companies based in the United States of America have done a tremendous job in recent times to restrict the shadow IT from growing.
It has been reported that many respondents based in the United States of America have decided not to work from office for the following two years. However, there is a deep concern among various IT companies regarding the employees’ strategies regarding their cyber safety. And how they are implementing them and are planning to implement them.
Since March 2019, nearly every industry has been seeing a large section of its employees operating from their homes in today’s time. However, security is a significant factor in the tech industry and in the sectors where there is a concern regarding the amount and sensitivity of data. Therefore, there is an internal debate in many companies on how to proceed with this remote-work norm.
Ever since COVID 19 dominated the world, both large and small companies proceeded towards work from home to alleviate the spread of coronavirus. A direct consequence of this was the increase in security risks.
All the employees using security systems and secure networks a day before are now using their PCs and home networks. All the cyber attackers realized this, and the world saw an unprecedented increase in the number of cybercrimes happening every day.
And now, a survey called Digital Readiness survey conducted by ManageEngine was initiated. The results were soon declared, and ManageEngine posted them on their website. The survey primarily focused on several key points, including cybersecurity planning, mitigating Shadow IT, network risks, and much more.
ManageEngine also released a press release for the public, and it is available on the internet. The chief evangelist of the ManageEngine company, Ajay Kumar, also made a statement regarding the shift in the workplace dynamics. He revealed that the survey results infer that there has been a sudden shift in cybersecurity practices, and the pandemic has forced the companies to re-strategize these practices.
Work from Home and Cybersecurity Problems (Shadow IT)
In the survey, ManageEngine found that over 80 percent (nearly 81 percent) of the working professionals in the United States of America believe that working away from the office has decreased their data security. Using low-cost networks and non-secure systems has increased the chances of cyberattacks while working remotely.
Suppose we further dig into the press release. In that case, we will find nearly 91 percent of the companies in the United States have implemented measures to better the security of the employees working from their homes.
Some of the common measures taken by all companies include individual awareness, security training, and company device monitoring. An interview was given by a Webroot employee back in February also stated that companies need to ensure that their employees are refraining from visiting websites, which are not secure.
Antivirus companies such as Webroot have always stressed that knowledge and awareness of the viewers play a crucial role in cybersecurity.
The report given by ManageEngine has put stress on the typical cyberattacks and also suggested a few measures. ManageEngine also provided comparisons and gave regions factors, which also determine the security of the system. Some of the common types of cyberattacks include malware, phishing, and endpoint network attacks.
In January, many MNCs and small companies were planning about reopening offices and calling their employees. However, they postponed their decision and refrained from issuing any guidelines after the news regarding the delta variant came around.
Now, companies are working to find solutions to make remote work more feasible. They are working towards creating a commitment to remote work and making it as secure as possible.
In the report, ManageEngine has stated that the professionals (nearly 96 percent) plan to work remotely for the next couple of years.
Consequently, many renowned companies in the US have adopted a more flexible approach to cybersecurity. They are implementing every solution and leaving no stone unturned to make their employees’ devices as secure as possible.
The survey found that the companies in the United States refrain from employing antiviruses that are not trustworthy. Only about 19 percent of the companies use low-trust cybersecurity programs. It is significant when you realize that companies in South Asian countries such as India have around 49. Even when you consider it globally, the percentage rises to 33.
What is Shadow IT?
As the name suggests, the term “Shadow IT” refers to the use of IT programs, applications, or devices without pre-requisite approval from the IT department. If an employee uses any programs or system for official work without permission from the company’s IT department, it is called “Shadow IT.”
Restricting the use of “Shadow IT” means that the US companies are stringent in regulating the use of devices and programs for the official task. It shows the vigilance and monitoring of the companies based in the US.
As per the statistics released by ManageEngine, the US companies have mitigated the use of “Shadow IT” and are excelling at 33 percent. They are fairing at ten times more than companies based in other continents. This is more true for the companies in North America as the executive spoke at length about “Shadow IT” to ManageEngine.
Conclusion The survey conducted by ManageEngine could prove to be an awareness call for all companies around the world. They need to investigate further the use of “Shadow IT” Furthermore, the help of unified endpoint control measures, employee training, and identity and access management should be appreciated.
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