85 percent of businesses adopted new security protocols due to COVID-19

New research from SecureAge Technology finds that 85 percent of US and UK employers have been forced to adopt new cybersecurity measures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to remote work.

Of those that adopted new cybersecurity defenses, both US (41 percent) and UK (38 percent) businesses note that 'technical implementation challenges' are the primary hurdle in getting their new COVID-driven cybersecurity protocols and strategies in place.

"The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed the way that we work today," says Jerry Ray, COO of SecureAge Technology. "And while many businesses have done well to adapt to remote work environments, unfortunately, many are still grappling with the learning curve and nuances of how to effectively secure them. This research aims to shine a light on how employers are tackling some of these emerging cybersecurity challenges, as well as on the pain points and hurdles that remain in their way."

When asked what types of tools they have implemented as a result of the pandemic, 60 percent of both US and UK business say that they have adopted cloud-based cybersecurity solutions, while 45 percent have embraced file level encryption and 41 percent have installed full disk encryption as a way to bolster their cybersecurity infrastructure.

"Modern cybersecurity depends on agility and sophisticated tech," adds Ray. "Therefore, it's no surprise that businesses are adopting tools that equip them with the ability to both respond to new threats on the fly and to lock down all the sensitive data they have. After all, nothing frustrates a cybercriminal more than agile cyberdefenses and useless, encrypted data they might have accessed."

The full report is available from the SecureAge site.

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