Security News > 2020 > August > The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on cybersecurity

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for hackers and online scammers, and cybersecurity pros saw a 63 percent increase in cyber-attacks related to the pandemic, according to a survey by ISSA and ESG. Organizations were fairly prepared for the global pandemic.

Most organizations don't believe the pandemic will increase 2020 cybersecurity spending.

Finally, is COVID-19 causing cybersecurity professionals to be concerned about their jobs or career choice? Overall, the answer seems to be "No" to both questions the data seems to indicate that there is more uncertainty in the short-term about current cybersecurity jobs.

"COVID-19 had a wide-ranging impact on individuals on the security staff. With 84 percent of cybersecurity professionals working exclusively from home during the pandemic and almost two-thirds believing that their organizations will be more flexible with work-at-home policies moving forward, COVID-19 has personally impacted cybersecurity professionals in their jobs and in their lives. This is in addition to the ongoing impact on organizations and security teams from the yearly worsening problem of the cybersecurity skills shortage," Jon Oltsik, Senior Principal Analyst and ESG Fellow.

"While it's promising to see that the majority of organizations were able to handle the COVID-19 pandemic fairly well, it is surprising that we are not seeing an increase in cybersecurity spending or prioritization following this event. If anything this should serve as a wakeup call that cybersecurity is what enables businesses to remain open and operational. Organizations prioritizing cybersecurity as a result of the pandemic will likely emerge as leaders in the next wave of cybersecurity process innovation and best practices," said Candy Alexander, Board President, ISSA International.

News URL

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HelpNetSecurity/~3/e4S-jl5ydew/