INDUSTRY WATCH

Research methodology

Cisco ’ s EMEA Consumer Security Poll survey consisted of responses from over 8,000 consumers from eight countries across Europe , the Middle East and Africa ( EMEA ), of which 1,006 general consumers were polled in KSA during August 2022 . At the time of the survey , 51 % of respondents were employed full-time , 16 % part-time and the remanding respondents identified as unemployed , student , homemaker , or self-employed . Regardless of employment status , more than half of the survey respondents expressed that corporate cybercrime has made them think their personal data is more at risk now than 12 months ago .

“ Cisco consumer survey in KSA is giving us a tremendous insight into general approach to security when the private and the public are blending in the hybrid workplace ,” said Fady Younes , Cybersecurity Director , EMEA Service Providers and MEA , Cisco . “ While the pandemic has accelerated the hybrid work model and the remote access to business data , we have identified many red flags consumers should pay attention to . We have noticed that unconscious insider threats are becoming an increasingly common part of the attack chain . Even the smallest of data leaks can lead to huge implications on the cyber-safety of individuals . invaluable . While organisations can ’ t erase human error , they can certainly mitigate it . Businesses should also be holding data securely in the cloud and allowing access based on Zero Trust principles – aligning all access with individual needs and contexts .”

Using personal devices for work

With the advent of hybrid work and against a backdrop of intensified cyberthreat , the research was conducted with the aim of understanding attitudes to cybersecurity in the home . The results in Saudi Arabia reveal the huge number of people who frequently use their personal devices for work tasks such as sending emails ( 67 %) and frequently making business calls ( 66 %). Only 35 % have never chatted about work tasks on their personal device or worked on a business document .

Of over 1,006 polled consumers in KSA , the majority have three or more connected devices and all respondents share at least one connected device with someone else in the house . Amid a global surge in cybercrime at all levels , respondents do appear concerned about the threat of attack , with 73 % saying they ’ re worried about their personal devices being hacked . With the number of connected devices shared in the home , 72 % have updated their password in the past six months – the highest percentage across Europe , the Middle East and Africa ( EMEA ).

Risk is not only a factor at home , as so many people now work in public spaces or check in on work tasks on the move . The always-on mentality of so many means people are risking shortcuts to connectivity . In KSA , 56 % of respondents frequently use public networks for personal tasks and 61 % use them for basic work tasks .

Misunderstanding security measures

“ With the line between work and home permanently blurred , we are seeing that the habits used for personal activity are increasingly applied to work ones – a huge threat to organisations for whom reputation is

Usernames and passwords have never been a particularly effective technique for keeping cyberthreats away . Adding Zero Trust principles , including Multi-Factor Authentication ( MFA ) to

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