INFOGRAPHIC

The latest Mimecast State of Email Security 2022 report found that , despite email usage increasing at eight out of 10 KSA companies , only 38 % are concerned about increasingly sophisticated attacks , and less than a third are concerned about insufficient security budget .

“ Organisations in KSA have risen to the challenge of an escalating number of email-based attacks by allocating sufficient budgets , conducting regular cybersecurity awareness training and investing in the tools and technologies needed to build greater cyber resilience ,” said Werno Gevers , cybersecurity expert at Mimecast . “ In fact , nearly all ( 98 %) of companies in the region have a cyber resilience strategy in place or are actively planning to implement one .” Many respondents actually reported fewer email-based attacks over the last year . Forty percent of surveyed organisations experienced a decrease in phishing attacks , 38 % saw a decrease in internal threats or data leaks initiated

Organisations in KSA have risen to the challenge of an escalating number of email-based attacks by allocating sufficient budgets . by malicious insiders and a third ( 34 %) witnessed a decrease in business email compromise .

“ KSA organisations are also setting an example in building greater resilience against ransomware attacks , which are expected to cost organisations $ 265-billion globally by 2031 ,” said Gevers . “ While six in ten organisations suffered a ransomware attack in the past year , the average downtime is only five days compared to a global average of over seven , 17 % of KSA companies say they experienced no downtime , far outpacing other regions where – when looking at a global average – as little as 2 % of companies could claim the same .”

Improved employee awareness is paying off

One of the keys to KSA organisations ’ success in the fight against cybercrime is the widespread use of cyber awareness training to equip employees with knowledge and tools to avoid risky online behaviour and minimise potential compromise .

“ 44 % of organisations in KSA provide ongoing cyber awareness training to employees , nearly double the global average of 23 %,” said Gevers . “ This appears to be translating into some positive behaviour : only two-thirds of organisations said they were concerned over employees using personal email against a global average of 81 %, while 60 % admitted to being worried that employees overshare company information on social media , compared to 80 % of organisations globally .”

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