SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --
News Summary:
- Two new global surveys highlight the challenges and
opportunities of the accelerated transition to a cloud-first,
remote world that demands us to be secure, connected and productive
from anywhere.
- IT teams were not fully prepared for the sudden transition to
remote work. Secure access and endpoint security continue to be a
top challenge in enabling hybrid work environments going
forward.
- Consumers and workers voice skepticism around the privacy
protections in remote work technologies and the trustworthiness of
companies to protect their data as their healthcare, education,
work, and social lives move further online.
Cisco published two new global research studies that reveal an
increase in consumer concern about data sharing during the pandemic
and the security challenges organizations face supporting employees
and customers in our remote-first world. The reports also highlight
opportunities to become more resilient by committing to
security that enables access to data and applications from
anywhere, on any device. Investing in both security and privacy
will prepare organizations and consumers for the "new normal" that
is here to stay.
Earlier this year, businesses across the globe transitioned to a
remote work environment almost overnight at an
unprecedented scale and speed. Security teams worked around
the clock to empower and protect their newly distributed teams.
Surveying 3,000 global IT decision makers, Cisco's Future of
Secure Remote Work Report found most organizations around the
world were at best only somewhat prepared to support a remote
workforce. But, it has accelerated the adoption of technologies
that enable employees to work securely from anywhere and on any
device – preparing businesses to be flexible for whatever comes
next. The survey found that:
- 85% of organizations said that cybersecurity is extremely
important or more important than before COVID-19
- Secure access is the top cybersecurity challenge faced by the
largest proportion of organizations (62%) when supporting remote
workers
- One in two respondents said endpoints, including corporate
laptops (56%) and personal devices (54%), are a challenge to
protect in a remote environment
- 66% of respondents indicated that the COVID-19 situation will
result in an increase in cybersecurity investments
"Security and privacy are among the most significant social
and economic issues of our lifetime," said Jeetu Patel, SVP and GM of Cisco's Security
& Applications business. "Cybersecurity historically has been
overly complex. With this new way of working here to stay and
organizations looking to increase their investment in
cybersecurity, there's a unique opportunity to transform the way we
approach security as an industry to better meet the needs of our
customers and end-users."
People are worried about the privacy of remote work tools and
are skeptical whether companies are doing what is needed to keep
their data safe. A survey of 2,600 adults globally found that
despite the pandemic, consumers want little or no change to privacy
requirements, and they want to see companies be more transparent
regarding how they use their customers' data. Organizations have
the opportunity to build confidence and trust by embedding privacy
into their products and communicating their practices clearly and
simply to their customers. Cisco's second annual Consumer
Privacy Survey revealed that:
- 60% of respondents are concerned about the privacy of remote
collaboration tools
- 53% want privacy laws maintained, with little or no exception
for pandemic-related data
- 48% feel they are unable to effectively protect their data
today, and the main reason is that they can't figure out what
companies are doing with their data
- 56% believe governments should play the primary role in
protecting consumer data, and consumers around the world are highly
supportive of the privacy laws enacted in their country
"Privacy is much more than just a compliance obligation. It is a
fundamental human right and business imperative that is critical to
building and maintaining customer trust," said Harvey Jang, VP, Chief Privacy Officer, Cisco.
"The core privacy and ethical principles of transparency, fairness,
and accountability will guide us in this new, digital-first
world."
To learn more, visit newsroom.cisco.com/security
Additional Resources:
- Blog: Building trust through transparency and privacy by
design
- Blog: Security at the heart of the 'new normal' workforce
- Blog: Maintaining privacy in the age of COVID
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in technology that
powers the Internet. Cisco inspires new possibilities by
reimagining your applications, securing your data, transforming
your infrastructure, and empowering your teams for a global and
inclusive future. Discover more on The Network and follow us
on Twitter.
Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks
of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A
listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found
at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks
mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of
the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between
Cisco and any other company.
CONTACT: Raquel Prieto,
raqpriet@cisco.com
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SOURCE Cisco