Data theft overtakes ransomware as IT pro’s biggest worry>
– Ian Barker
Data theft is now the biggest worry for IT professionals, overtaking ransomware as the top concern.
According to a survey of over 3,000 IT pros by security vendor Mimecast, 55% now name data theft as their greatest cause for concern, up from just 32% six months ago.
Ransomware, which was the top worry among IT professionals earlier this year, now ranks as the second-most common fear, with just 47% of respondents saying it was their main worry.
The survey also revealed that IT pros have seen a notable rise in data theft and malicious behavior due to the shift to remote work during the pandemic.
In the UK, 60% of IT professionals reported they experienced more data theft attempts in the last six months compared to the prior six (47% globally).
The most commonly stolen data was financial records, followed by company trade secrets, customer/employee data and confidential/legal documents.
Additionally, the survey found that 56% of IT pros have seen an increase in malicious actors exploiting vulnerabilities with a notable increase in malicious emails.
Given the widespread shift to remote work, IT professionals have had to update their security policies and protocols, and they’re also investing in real-time phishing defenses, effective backup and disaster recovery solutions, and identity and access management solutions.
On the employee front, they’re also educating employees on the appropriate use of corporate devices and networks.
Link: https://betanews.com/2023/09/12/data-theft-overtakes-ransomware-as-it-pros-biggest-worry/