Security News > 2022 > February > What is fueling digital anxiety when working remotely?

Working from home has spiked since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March of 2020.

This effort to reduce health risks may have limited the spread of the virus, but according to an analysis by F-Secure, it may also have helped increase digital anxiety for those working remotely.

"It is not surprising that individuals have started to worry more about cyber security, particularly when working from home. Many individuals were thrust into the 'new normal' of home working with very little preparation, training, or equipment. Let's not forget, for most individuals in a workplace environment, cyber security is generally a second thought, and is usually something that is seen as the responsibility of someone else in the company. This, coupled with the fact that many home workers have less than perfect home working environments, means that these cyber security fears could be symptomatic of a combination of factors," he said.

71% of remote workers said they worry that new internet connected devices-such as wearables and connected home appliances-could lead to a violation of their privacy, compared to 64% of non-remote workers.

"Working from home could also have meant that individuals may have had more time to focus on other aspects of their working life and spent more time engaging in self-reflection and aspects of self-improvement; this could have included a re-assessment of cyber risks in their daily lives. The pandemic also meant people were isolated, with many turned to the one thing they did have access to - the Internet. Of course, spending more time engaged in one activity could lead to an increase in perceptions of risk, particularly when people are being subjected to negative news stories about cyber security related issues," Dr. Hadlington explained.

According to F-Secure Security Consultant Tom Gaffney, managing security while working remotely takes technical security measures that protect data and devices, but also steps to keep people's personal and professional lives separate.

News URL

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2022/02/14/digital-anxiety-working-remotely/