Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Verizon: Employers struggle to balance cybersecurity with business imperatives

Corporations rush to cover proliferating endpoints, due to bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies, hybrid working, and spread of IoT

verizon Screen Shot 2023-11-22 at 11.02.26 AM.png

Waves of professionals have continued telecommuting to their offices since the end of the covid pandemic, opening new gaps in companies’ cybersecurity defenses as they connect to their companies through collections of private and mobile devices, according to a report from Verizon Business.

The trend has led over half of all companies (62%) to report that they have experienced a breach that was at least partially attributable to remote working in the past three years, the firm said in its “2023 Mobile Security Index” (MSI) report. This year’s report is the sixth publication, and includes insights from Verizon’s partners Akamai, Fortinet, Lookout, Allot, IBM, Proofpoint, Check Point, and Ivanti.


Reliance on multiple mobile devices compounded by the multitasking that often comes with mobile use is an ultimate threat for organizations, Verizon said. Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies, hybrid working, and the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) have multiplied the scale and complexity of protecting endpoints.

That helps explain why over a third (34%) of users have fallen for one of the five following basic security errors:

  • Clicking a phishing link (18%)
  • Downloading malware from smish (SMS phishing) (13%)
  • Downloading malware generally (11%)
  • Giving personal information to a scammer (9%)
  • Giving a password to an untrustworthy source (8%)

“A lack of understanding of the potential consequences combined with the blurring of boundaries between home and work make a dangerous combination,” Mike Caralis, Vice President of Business Markets at Verizon Business, said in a release. “Cyber crime is getting more sophisticated by the years, and it doesn’t always come in the form that you’d expect.”

One example of that is the recent growth of generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) which has quickly proven to be a cybersecurity challenge. According to Verizon, anyone with internet access can create a “deep fake” image or video that makes their phishing attacks even more effective.

The widespread use of mobile devices such as smartphones and laptops is a particular weakness. For example, users are 6-10 times more likely to fall victim to an SMS (text-based) phishing attack than an email attack, and 90% of successful cyberattacks and as many as 70% of successful data breaches originate at endpoint devices.

Mobile devices are especially vulnerable because they rely on public wi-fi points to connect to computer networks, Verizon said. The vast majority (90%) of remote workers access corporate resources from locations other than their home—the average is five different locations—exposing the organization to additional security risks.
 

 

 

The Latest

More Stories

Logistics gives back: October 2024

For the past seven years, third-party service provider ODW Logistics has provided logistics support for the Pelotonia Ride Weekend, a campaign to raise funds for cancer research at The Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center–Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. As in the past, ODW provided inventory management services and transportation for the riders’ bicycles at this year’s event. In all, some 7,000 riders and 3,000 volunteers participated in the ride weekend.


Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

siemens logistics airport buggage

Vanderlande to acquire Siemens Logistics for $325 million

The logistics process automation provider Vanderlande has agreed to acquire Siemens Logistics for $325 million, saying its specialty in providing value-added baggage and cargo handling and digital solutions for airport operations will complement Netherlands-based Vanderlande’s business in the warehousing, airports, and parcel sectors.

The acquisition has received approval from the Supervisory and Management Boards of both Vanderlande and its parent company Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO) as well as the Management Board of parent company Siemens AG.

Keep ReadingShow less

Resilience is a daily fight

I recently came across a report showing that 86% of CEOs around the world see resiliency problems in their supply chains, and that business leaders are spending more time than ever tackling supply chain-related challenges. Initially I was surprised, thinking that the lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic surely prepared industry leaders for just about anything, helping to bake risk and resiliency planning into corporate strategies for companies of all sizes.

But then I thought about the growing number of issues that can affect supply chains today—more frequent severe weather events, accelerating cybersecurity threats, and the tangle of emerging demands and regulations around decarbonization, to name just a few. The level of potential problems seems to be increasing at lightning speed, making it difficult, if not impossible, to plan for every imaginable scenario.

Keep ReadingShow less
AI tops digital supply chain investment priorities

AI tops digital supply chain investment priorities

Investing in artificial intelligence (AI) is a top priority for supply chain leaders as they develop their organization’s technology roadmap, according to data from research and consulting firm Gartner.

AI—including machine learning—and Generative AI (GenAI) ranked as the top two priorities for digital supply chain investments globally among more than 400 supply chain leaders surveyed earlier this year. But key differences apply regionally and by job responsibility, according to the research.

Keep ReadingShow less
voting stickers for election results analysis

Report: Manufacturing leaders should think beyond November election

U.S. manufacturing leaders should think beyond November and focus on responsiveness for building long-term success regardless of who occupies the Oval Office in 2025, according to a report from Propel Software about uncertainty on business conditions as the presidential election approaches.

Regardless of the elected administration, the future likely holds significant changes for trade, taxes, and regulatory compliance. As a result, it’s crucial that U.S. businesses avoid making decisions contingent on election outcomes, and instead focus on resilience, agility, and growth, according to California-based Propel, which provides a product value management (PVM) platform for manufacturing, medical device, and consumer electronics industries.

Keep ReadingShow less