Freely subscribe to our NEWSLETTER

Called Securing Workspaces for Tomorrow, the white paper explores the topic of how
employees across the globe are already demanding a more mobile workplace, with the
flexibility to work from anywhere, any time, on any device, in order to become more
productive and achieve work-life balance.

“But,” warns Matthew Gyde, Dimension Data Group Executive – Security,
“because mobile users access the Internet on the go, they’re more vulnerable to
attacks as they may not have the same level of security as within the office
perimeter.”

Today, the average user utilises four devices per day, and this is predicted to
increase to five connected devices in the next four years. By 2020, up to 1.55
billion people will be responsible for work that does not confine them to a desk[2].
And it’s predicted that by 2025, the global workforce will hit 3.85 billion, of
which 50% of employees will be tech savvy millennials who regard work-life balance
as ‘highly important’ when evaluating job opportunities[3].

Tony Walt, Dimension Data Group Executive – End-user Computing says, “A
functional mobile workforce allows employees to access corporate applications and
data from anywhere, be it working in the headquarters or branch office, co-located
with another office tenant, on-site at a client’s premises, at home, or while
travelling. This increase in fluid collaboration will lead to innovation, and help
organisations to secure a competitive advantage. As a result, mobility is not just a
preference but a necessity which will inadvertently introduce complexity as it
relates to maintaining the integrity of the ‘secured workspace for
tomorrow’.”

Gyde sites a sales representative as a good example. “A sales representative using
a mobile device such as an iPad or a mobile phone, could unknowingly access a
malicious link using an unsecured wireless network resulting in the download of
ransomware encrypting his files hours before a client presentation.”

As more enterprises aspire to create future workspaces and harness the benefits of a
mobile workforce that leverage cloud platforms, there’s is a greater need than
ever before to implement appropriate measures to secure data, infrastructures,
applications and users wherever they may reside. The devices, environment,
applications, emerging technologies all connect to the Internet, potentially opening
up avenues for cyber criminals to exploit the vulnerabilities of the new workspace.

“While the mobile endpoint is a potential game changer for businesses, it exposes
mobile workers to security risks and vulnerabilities, as they’re not protected by
enterprise-grade security. What’s more, companies are increasingly permitting
personal devices - or bring your own device (BYOD) - into the workplace, increasing
the risk of data leakage due to the lack of control or visibility into personal
devices, or access to the business network if the device is lost or stolen,” adds
Gyde.

Other highlights in the Securing Workspaces for Tomorrow white paper include:

· Smart offices: the Internet of Things brings the Internet of Threats: The
IoT-enabled workspaces for the future deliver a degree of control and customisation
that was not achievable in the past. The office environment is seeing a greater use
of CCTVs, as well as smart devices for door locks to lighting, with users
controlling them via smartphones and smart hubs. However, these smart devices and
their hubs could be more susceptible to cyber attacks, as they are typically
designed with only basic security features.

· Cyberattacks are mostly undetected: they’re often hiding in encrypted
HTTPS traffic, or in legitimate files such as word and PDF

· End users are identified as the weakest link and an internal threat: 54%
of security professionals worldwide view phishing / social engineering as one of the
two most common threat techniques

· Cyber criminals could target Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms: if
data in transmission to the cloud is intercepted or residing in the cloud without
proper encryption, it becomes an instant gold mine waiting for its discoverers

· Blocking threats through context-aware security analytics: Context-Aware
Security Analytics can be used to quickly detect a broad range of advanced attacks
such as volumetric DDoS, zero-day malware, and insider threats. Along with
continuous lateral monitoring across enterprise networks with user, device and
application awareness, the solution accelerates incident response, improves forensic
investigations and reduces enterprise risk

[1] Dimension Data commissioned Frost and Sullivan to research and compile the
Securing Workspaces for Tomorrow white paper
[2] Frost & Sullivan report named "The Global Future of Work—The Future Place
and Structure of Work ", published December 2015.
[3] Frost & Sullivan report named "The Global Future of Work - The Future Labor
Force", published June 2015.