Cyber Threats Are Spiking as Remote Worker Ranks Soar

Cyber Threats Are Spiking as Remote Worker Ranks Soar

The number of people working from home is skyrocketing as the COVID-19 pandemic forces companies to close offices and practice social distancing. The sudden explosion of makeshift home office environments is adding to the burden of already overtaxed cybersecurity workers, who now face the massive task of trying to protect a remote workforce against cyber threats.


While cybersecurity professionals put in extra hours to handle the situation, the increasing ranks of remote workers are catching the attention of another group – cyber attackers. Cyber criminals are betting that many of these hastily outfitted work-from-home environments will not have the same level of protection as office environments, while still connecting to their corresponding corporate networks. For cybercriminals, that spells opportunity.


And they are wasting no time. Cyber threats are already on the rise, according to CNBC. The rise in threats such as phishing scams and spam is occurring just as a solid majority of companies (85%) now have at least 50% of employees working from home.


In a poll of the CNBC Technology Executive Council, the business network found that 36% of its members are seeing a spike in threats. The council is composed of corporate executives and professionals in senior technology positions.


“The bad guys know that every IT department and every cybersecurity group is currently overwhelmed and stretched,” Miriam Wugmeister, partner and co-chair of law firm Morrison & Foerster’s global privacy and data security group, told CNBC. “We are hearing from many clients and law enforcement that the level of cyberattacks, phishing attempts and scams occurring in light of COVID-19 has grown ..

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