The pandemic is changing the thinking about cyber security

Ten post dostępny jest także w języku: polski

According to the latest Fortinet report, every fifth company in Poland increased its cyber security budget due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Companies invest most in tools to secure remote work.

We spend more on cyber security

Until recently, many companies were not fully prepared for the new reality created by the pandemic. However, the introduction of further restrictions and the associated shifting of employees to a remote mode of operation changed the way of thinking about investments into cyber security. According to the latest Fortinet report by ARC Rynek i Opinia, in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic, every fifth company in Poland increased its cyber security budget. Companies invest most in purchasing new protective solutions and licenses for tools to protect the working environment in the homes of employees.

According to Jolanta Malak, Fortinet’s director in Poland, many companies initially implemented a remote working system, and only at a later stage considered protecting them from possible external threats. She also emphasizes that in April and May, Fortinet has noted great interest in training in the field of cyber security such as VPN.

,,Fortunately, this way of thinking is changing, which is very important especially now that remote working has created new challenges for cyber security. Among the activities that were supposed to prove the increased importance of protecting IT environments, the respondents mentioned, among others, the emphasis on reviewing security processes and increasing the budget, both in terms of protection solutions and training for employees. The management board’s expectations regarding the frequency of reporting on security activities also increased” – summarized the report, Jolanta Malak.

What has changed?

The Fortinet study shows that more than half of the companies (54%) that have introduced the remote working model have never had to deal with it before. However, the whole process went smoothly for most of them. 54% of companies declared that it went smoothly and without the need for special adaptation to changes, and 23% needed less than a week to do so. 58% of the surveyed companies based the process in accordance with the existing security policies, and 34% applied minor adjustments.

The biggest challenge during the transition to a remote work mode was to provide employees with the right equipment to work. Nearly half (45%) had problems with assigning laptops to employees. In turn, a quarter (23%) also had problems with remote installation of appropriate software. The pandemic also made it necessary to deal with hardware failures at a distance (21%).

An earlier study was also cited at the end. In 2017, only 31% of respondents believed that cybersecurity is treated as a priority by management boards. In 2020 it is already 88%.

You can find out more about the cyber security market in Poland in our latest report ,,Cybersecurity market in Poland 2020. Market analysis and development forecasts for 2020-2025″. The report contains the latest revised data on the impact of coronavirus on the market.