French companies not sufficiently prepared to combat security incidents

The importance of cybersecurity has never been more prominent than when telecommuting.

During the period of confinement that saw remote work exploded, employees and managers realized how important it was to computer security. The recent report produced by Trend Micro, from his study "Head in the Clouds" also highlights this. This study by the cybersecurity company looks at how employees understand the notion of computer security when telecommuting. And of course, as several other studies have shown before, several risky behaviours have been observed.

The cybersecurity company Trend Micro conducted its survey of 13,200 teleworkers, a poor party in 27 countries around the world. The objective was simple, during this surge in remote work, to measure how employees behave in the face of the different requirements of cybersecurity and the IT policies of their company. In France, for example, 77% of employees surveyed, and 72% worldwide felt that they were aware of the real risks associated with computer security. And this has been there since the beginning of the containment.

The study also showed that during this period of massive telework, companies took the opportunity to raise their employees' awareness of the various issues of cybersecurity. On the other hand we can note the result:

– 85% of employees said they took seriously the guidelines provided by their company's IT department, which makes 79% In France;

– 81% confirm their business responsibilities for IT security;

– 64% globally and 62% in France admit that there is a real danger to the use of personal applications on work-only terminals.

It can then be said that this level makes it clear that employee awareness is essential to maintain a certain security framework at the IT services level. Jean-Marc Thoumelin, Managing Director France – Vice President Southern Europe, Trend Micro. The report said: "In the current context, it is encouraging to see that the vast majority of employees take the security guidelines put in place by their IT department seriously. Most of them have taken stock of their role in protecting IT within their organization."

However, the fact that the majority of employees are aware of the potential risks but if that does not mean that they carefully comply with safety guidelines. Indeed:

– 56% of employees surveyed worldwide and in France admitted that they used at least one personal application on their work terminals.

– 64% worldwide and 66 in France have already downloaded via its personal applications

– 80% globally and 81% in France admit to having used their professional computer for personal use when they were on the Internet.

– 39% globally 44% in France said they tended to access information from their companies through their personal devices, which is clearly in contrast to the policies of several companies.

– 8% of employees surveyed worldwide and 6% in France admit to visiting pornographic sites through their work terminals.

– 7% of them often access the Dark Web.

"This difference in approach to cybersecurity can certainly be explained by the diversity of employee profiles. This is because of their personal values, their level of responsibility within the company, and aspects of their personality. These factors, which are important to consider, are likely to influence behaviour. That's why, to become more efficient, taking these factors into account is crucial in setting up cyber security training, whether tailor-made or not," notes Dr. Linda K. Kaye, an academic in cyber psychology at Edge Hill University.

In addition, trend Micro's study describes French teleworkers as the most vigilant in managing cybersecurity remote work. And this is thanks to the health crisis that the world is going through. According to 77% of them, they have become more involved in the cybersecurity policies defined by their companies since then telework. As a result, almost 79% of French workers who now trust their company's IT department, they listen to the various guidelines and advice that receive them. This makes France one of the only European countries to be included in the top 10 most conscious countries in the field of cybersecurity with Norway.

"The 'Head in the Clouds' study allowed us to measure the level of awareness of the French on the cyber security issues of their company. The fact that they are mostly aware of the risks associated with using a personal application on their professional tools (computer or phone) (62%) suggests a positive development in future uses of digital tools," observes Renaud Bidou, Trend Micro's Southern Europe Technical Director. He adds: "While attitudes seem to be changing, so do practices if we really want to limit the risks. The way employees use their laptops, messaging, mobile phones, etc. can be a security breach and a gateway for hackers. ».

One of the recurring problems is the use of personal tools in the field of work, which are one of the main vectors of attacks for cyber criminals. Especially through the phishing method. And this almost a third of French employees have become aware of the problem and avoid using their personal tools for professional purposes. "The awareness highlighted by this study translates into more responsible behaviour on the part of employees. To improve this, companies need to take into account the diversity of internal profiles and thus adapt their training accordingly. concluded Jean-Marc Thoumelin.

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