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Enterprise network
security in the era
of hybrid work

For many enterprises, hybrid work is no longer the “new normal”—it’s just normal. Over half (52%) of American employees are empowered to work in a hybrid environment, and over a quarter (28%) are exclusively remote workers.1

But the hybrid workplace also brings with it different risks. According to the Verizon 2022 Mobile Security Index (MSI), 79% of organizations agree that changes to working practices have negatively impacted corporate cybersecurity.2 There has also been a recent growth of pretexting attacks, which now represent 50% of all social engineering attacks according to the Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR).3

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What are the main hybrid working threats?

 

Unpatched devices: Remote devices can be harder for IT teams to update, leaving them exposed to threats. A record 25,227 unique vulnerabilities were published in 2022.4

Unprotected devices: Home worker devices are often personally owned, which means they may not be protected by corporate-grade security. Nearly half of global companies have suffered a compromise involving a mobile device in the 12 months before the report, according to the MSI.5

Unsecure Wi-Fi: Home and public Wi-Fi networks can be less secure than corporate alternatives. Some 80% of home working adults have never changed their router password, while 74% have never changed their Wi-Fi password.6

What does it mean?

Cyber criminals can take advantage of these security gaps to steal business log-ins or hijack devices, enabling them to advance into corporate networks and applications.

This access could enable them to deploy ransomware or steal sensitive data. Ransomware was present in 24% of breaches analyzed in the 2023 DBIR, while it was one of the top types of incidents for 91% of all industries. The financial and reputational impact could be significant. According to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 95% of ransomware incidents involved losses between $1 and $2.25 million.7


The road to safer hybrid working.

Fortunately, there are things you can do today to help protect your business.

Zero Trust Dynamic Access (ZTDA) is a cloud solution based on zero trust architecture principles. ZTDA is designed to help defend today’s complex and decentralized networks, branch offices and the remote and mobile users that depend on them.

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) provides a universally distributed identity-centric networking and security platform. SASE helps provide a secure connection for end users and devices, across all locations.

Verizon has been managing complex networks for over 30 years. The DBIR has been providing vital cybersecurity insights for over 16 years.

Learn more about the security threats facing enterprises in the 2023 DBIR.

Data Breach Investigations Report

This year, we analyzed a staggering 30,458 real-world security incidents. Download the DBIR to find out more about the cyber threats your organization might be up against.

Read report

  • The author of this content is a paid contributor for Verizon.
     

    1 Gallup, Indicators - Hybrid Work, February 2023.

    2 Verizon 2022 Mobile Security Index, page 5.

    3 Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report.

    4 CVE Details, https://www.cvedetails.com/browse-by-date.php, accessed May 2023.

    5 Verizon 2022 Mobile Security Index, page 4.

    6 Ibid, page 53.

    7 Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report.

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