More than half (51%) of global organizations still do not have a BYOD policy despite the growing use of these devices by staff as a result of the shift to home working during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is according to STX Next’s latest Global CTO Survey, which found that even for those organizations that have a BYOD policy, 13% do not use multi-factorial authentication (MFA).
Overall, in the survey of 250 chief technology officers (CTOs) from across the globe, the researchers observed a lack of urgency among many organizations in adapting their security processes to the current landscape.
It was also revealed that 80% of organizations do not have a dedicated internal security team or department, and 40% are using specialized companies for their cybersecurity needs.
Another finding from the report was that nearly half (47%) do not check the security of containers, despite the recent surge in the container ecosystem.
Maciej Dziergwa, chairman of STX Next, commented: “The data obtained from our survey brought to light some interesting (and concerning) realities around the approach organizations have towards cybersecurity.
“Unfortunately, it seems many still see security as a cost rather than an investment. With remote working becoming one of the most tangible impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, most businesses do not have sufficient visibility of the devices used by employees, and whether these devices are secure enough for accessing company data. This therefore increases the attack surface for cyber-criminals to target. It is imperative businesses take measures to address these insufficiencies.”
He added: “While it is important to caveat that, for smaller organizations, cybersecurity spend is significant, failure to invest in cybersecurity in the current climate is no longer an option. COVID-19 has shifted the landscape – more employees are working from home meaning many more devices are connecting remotely. As a result, organizational control over security is likely not as strong as it once was. It is critical, therefore, that steps are taken to build policies to ensure employees are working securely, without hindering their ability to do their jobs.”