“IT and cybersecurity organisations must maintain a hybrid support model over the transition period and into the future as people flex their working arrangements to work from home and from their offices.”

In our latest video focussing on the New Reality, Caroline Rivett, A perspective on cybersecurity considerations, discusses the challenges facing IT and cybersecurity businesses. As we went in to lockdown, they worked at speed to enable large-scale remote working, providing new kits and opening up networks. 

We’re now at a point where people are starting to return to offices, and there are three key cybersecurity messages that need to be considered:

• The impact of people’s working from home arrangements – The movement back to a physical office space will be a lot slower than the move to homeworking when lockdown was put in place, and it will depend on several factors. IT and cybersecurity businesses need to offer a hybrid support model to ensure they can facilitate both home and office working arrangements.
• The risk of malware – Home networks are typically more likely to be affected by malware, so businesses need to review the security of their networks and how sensitive work is completed.
• The need to reassess business strategy and pivot to digital – Organisations are reassessing their strategy and business models as a result of COVID-19, which has led to many accelerating their digital transformations. With a focus on reviewing supply chains and reducing costs, cybersecurity firms will also need to prepare for future cost challenges.

As businesses prepare for the return to the workplace, many will also be considering testing staff for signs of COVID-19. That will present a number of questions about how IT and cybersecurity organisations help maintain data privacy and secure personally identifiable information. Addressing issues like these are essential to maintaining the trust of clients. 

Find out more about how the cyber risks that have evolved since COVID-19 and what we may face as we step in the new reality in our ‘Returning to work: Enterprise risk – controls, cyber, fraud and privacy’ webinar.