Cyber hacking soars as staff working from home can be vulnerable to data breaches, research suggests
- Survey of 450 UK companies found almost two thirds suffered a cyber attack
- Most of these companies said they had lost money or revenue as a result
- Majority of attacks were attributed to tech issues or due to working from home
Cyber attacks due to working from home have cost businesses £374million since the Covid crisis began, according to research.
A survey of 450 top finance and risk professionals at UK-listed companies found almost two-thirds of firms had suffered a cyber attack or data breach in the first 18 months of the pandemic.
Most of these companies said they had lost money or revenue as a result.
The majority of these attacks – 82 per cent – could be attributed to tech issues or behaviour related to working from home, the research from software group Diligent found.
Cyber attacks due to working from home have cost businesses £374million since the Covid crisis began, according to research (stock image)
Remote working presents huge challenges for businesses’ security due to issues such as weak antivirus software, insecure internet connections and the use of platforms such as Zoom which can be hacked.
And it could continue to be costly for firms whose employees want to work in a ‘hybrid’ shift pattern that splits time between home and the office.
Government figures in the year to March 2021 found four in ten businesses and a quarter of UK charities had experienced cyber breaches in the previous year.
Companies including Disney, Santander, Royal Bank of Scotland and FTSE 250 mining services company Weir Group have all fallen prey to hackers – though this was not related to home working.
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Remote working presents huge challenges for businesses’ security due to issues such as weak antivirus software, insecure internet connections and the use of platforms such as Zoom which can be hacked (stock image)
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