(BPT) – If you are employed in the US, it’s more likely than not that you worked remotely this past year.
52% of Americans have done part or all of their jobs from home during the pandemic. That’s even more than the number of Americans with a college degree.
Over time, we’ve perfected some aspects of remote and hybrid working — from comfortable chairs to Zoom happy hours.
But there’s one thing that remains a major problem for most people: cybersecurity.
A homegrown problem
Work-from-home arrangements have contributed to a 238% increase in global cyberattack volume during the pandemic. And the attacks haven’t simply grown in amount — they’re more costly, too. The average cost of a data breach rose by 10% to a staggering $4.24 million.
Why? Because employees aren’t following cyber standards and best practices. For instance, the vast majority of employees are using work devices for personal tasks and personal devices for work. Some of you might even be thinking, “What’s wrong with that?”
Now, more than ever, we all need to take cybersecurity seriously. “Cybersecurity is a top priority because our clients entrust us with their sensitive information and personal finances,” says Bashar Abouseido, Managing Director and Chief Information Security Officer at Charles Schwab. “We make it everyone’s business. We train every employee on best practices so that our clients can rest assured that their money, investments and financial futures are safe.”
Cybersecurity is everyone’s business
You might be thinking, “Another lecture about compliance? Did my IT department pay you to write this?” But everyone has a stake in cybersecurity.
What’s next?
Here are four ways remote employees can protect themselves, their clients and the companies they work for:
Visit https://www.aboutschwab.com/cybersecurity to learn more about cybersecurity and how to keep yourself safe.