Cybercrime is on the rise, and remote work is to blame

During lockdowns, the world of commerce and academics would have come to a halt if not for capable networking tools and file-sharing possibilities. Technology departments, for example, have worked out how to empower bosses to give their personnel unparalleled flexibility.

Forrester Consulting commissioned a global independent assessment on cyber risk in the new world of work, which found that remote work will be permanent for 92 percent of firms in the next two years.

According to the survey, 67% of business-impacting cyber attacks were directed at remote workers. Loss of customer, employee, or other confidential data; disruption of day-to-day operations; ransomware payout; financial loss or theft; and/or theft of intellectual property are all possible outcomes of a business-impacting cyberattack.

The findings that 98% of remote workers use a personal device for work every day have prompted concerns. This demonstrates how remote work is changing the way businesses are conducted.

Cybercriminals taking advantage of remote work

Cybercriminals identified in 2020 and 2021 that system networks lacked the security to protect against the flaws exposed by new remote workplace practices in three important areas.

1. Fraudsters recognized an opportunity when employees started active on networks outside of typical business hours. Cyberattacks were less likely to be detected since in-person security monitors were not operating. 
2. Hyper-connected habits lead to access to shared networks from multiple devices. Hackers found their way into company networks as employees use personal devices that lacked the same level of security as their work PCs.
3. Remote work has resulted in some jobs being outsourced to lower-cost regions. Contractors were allowed access to databases, exposing networks to vulnerabilities, and thieves were able to get access to larger networks via supply chains.

Businesses are more vulnerable to ransomware attacks due to cybersecurity concerns. There are a variety of flaws that can lead to a ransomware infection. These are some of them:

• Phishing/Email Spoofing: Phishing attacks send bogus emails to unwitting users requesting sensitive information. The recipient believes the email is from a reliable source and submits information or downloads an attachment, only to discover that doing so allows the ransomware strain to enter the network.

• Data Breach: Data breaches can lead to a variety of challenges, including ransomware attacks and other problems. When sensitive data in a company is compromised, a data breach occurs. While this is not always due to ransomware, it is possible that ransomware is the cause of a data breach.

• Unauthorized Access: Another way for a firm to fall prey to ransomware is when an employee grants unauthorized access to the company's systems to someone outside the company. To avoid this, access management is essential.

• Personal Devices: Business processes should only be performed on business devices. Employees who utilize personal devices, which may or may not have the support of the security team, endanger the organization.

When it comes to ransomware, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Prevent Phishing 

When responding to an unsolicited email, phone call, text message, or instant chat, do not reveal personal information. Phishers will pretend to be from IT in order to deceive staff into installing malware or gaining intelligence for attacks. If you or your coworkers receive questionable calls, notify your IT department.

One strategy to avoid getting scammed is to purchase subscription-based antivirus software that especially targets phishing. 

Antivirus software such as Norton 360 can also alert customers when they visit an untrustworthy website.

Antivirus software that is kept up to date can help keep a computer safe from ever-changing dangers. Norton 360 can detect and prevent phishing emails that come from a suspicious source or contain phrases that are commonly used in phishing scams.

2. Use a firewall and trusted antivirus software.

It's vital to have a strong firewall in place and to maintain your security software up to date. Because of all the fraudulent software out there, it's critical to utilize antivirus software from a reliable vendor.

Smart Firewall is included in Norton 360

• The Smart Firewall functions as a traffic cop, monitoring incoming and outgoing internet traffic to keep hazards away from your computer.
• Unauthorized individuals will be unable to access your computers via the internet.
• Creates a shield that permits or prevents unauthorized access to your computer's data.
• You'll be notified if other computers try to connect to you.
• Warn you if your computer's apps are attempting to connect to other computers.
• Keep your data (passwords, keystrokes, files, tax returns, and so on) safe from prying eyes.

3. Make sure that all of your systems and software are up to date with the latest patches. 

Malware is typically propagated using exploit kits published on hacked websites. To help avoid infection, susceptible software must be patched on a regular basis. 

Intrusive attacks allow cybercriminals to enter a target machine and install malware or steal information by exploiting flaws in software (known as vulnerabilities). 

Manufacturers of software are aware of this, and as soon as these flaws are detected, they try to address the problem and develop a fix.

4. Any damaged files should be restored from a known good backup. 

The easiest approach to regain access to your data is to restore it from a backup.

Norton PC Cloud Backup helps prevent the loss of photos and files due to ransomware or hard drive failures by storing them in the cloud

Cloud Backup is another option of storing copies of your computer files in a secure location so that you do not lose them if your computer is lost, damaged, or infected with ransomware.

With Cloud Backup, you securely store copies of your files with a trusted provider like Norton on their remote servers, referred to as “the cloud.”

Backing up to the cloud ensures that you don't lose important files if your computer is stolen, lost, or its hard drive breaks, or if a cybercriminal encrypts it with ransomware.

5. A VPN can help prevent such attacks because it encrypts your connection.

Norton Secure VPN helps protect your data. It provides online security by shielding your internet data and your location from advertisers, websites, and cybercriminals.

Norton Secure VPN uses bank-grade encryption to help ensure the information you send and receive is secure and private.