Covid-19 has radically altered almost every aspect of day-to-day life in hundreds of nations: Socialising, working, travelling and exercising have all been impacted. But once the initial shock of the pandemic is brought under control, how will our worlds change long term? According to a new survey, remote working is one element which organisations should consider here to stay.
The global survey commissioned by identity and access management solution OneLogin, six out of ten people surveyed in the UK believe that working culture will be realigned to favour remote working after restrictions end.
The study, which surveyed 5,000 working people throughout the UK, USA, Ireland, France and Germany, highlighted the difference in expectations surrounding the new normal, with 73% of French people predicting a shift, compared to only 50% in the US.
As well as cultural differences, the global study aimed to examine the security implications of the shift to remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the results reveal that security measures and password best practices have not taken priority in many regions.
“Organisations everywhere are facing unprecedented challenges as millions of people are working from home,” said Brad Brooks, CEO and president of OneLogin. “Passwords pose an even greater risk in this WFH environment and – as our study supports – are the weakest link in exposing businesses’ customers and data to bad actors.”
In Britain, a whopping 36% of those surveyed admitted to having never updated their WiFi password from the default password provided, compared to 34% in France, 21% in Germany and just 7% in the US.
OneLogin’s survey also highlights that UK consumers are the worst in the world for WiFi security, with 50% not having changed their WiFi password in more than a year, compared to the global average of 36%. But the risks associated with weak credentials are well known, as malicious actors continue to exploit the remote working situation.
“This global remote work study shines the light on the importance of ensuring the right people are accessing internal and customer data at all times. It underscores the importance of protecting employees and their entire organisations, aligning with privacy and security best practices around the world,” Brooks said.
Access the full study here: http://onelogin.com/blog/world-password-day-2020
