With reports of increasing RDP (remote desktop protocols) attacks, it is evident that security is the No. 1 challenge that faces the hybrid work era for organizations in the Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ). This is one of the findings of the latest report “Security in a Hybrid Work Era,” by the International Data Corp. (IDC).

“Leaders should not think hybrid work means a sacrifice for security,” said Dr. Lily Phan, research director, Future of Work at IDC. “Although there are more security challenges for organizations to address in hybrid work environments, having IT security strategies with measurable KPIs (key performance indicators), and the right security products will bring tremendous value to productivity and business growth.” 

Data breaches and persistent cyber attacks prompted businesses to increase IT investments in the region.

Cisco study finds 60% of PH employees prefer hybrid work setup
Cisco study underscores the importance of cybersecurity in a hybrid work setup

The top security concerns revolve around 

• work devices, such as sensitive information accessed on unmanaged networks and devices (51%), 
• compliance (46%), work devices communicating over unsecured networks (43%), 
• and the inability to monitor the security posture of work devices (40%).

IDC advises organizations “to employ more holistic security measures such as the value of assets at risk, the value of risk mitigated, and the enterprise risk score, which is more comprehensive and extensive.”

The IDC report aims to provide insights for companies to understand their security infrastructure, areas of investment, recommendations to enhance the overall security of an organization, and the narratives for tech marketers to build their go-to-market campaigns for security products. It also details organizations’ perspectives on a range of topics such as KPIs to measure IT security, concerns in establishing security, and organizational investments in the next two years for improving overall security.