14 DAY TRIAL // As a new survey by Vanson Bourne shows, 32% of companies have seen an increase in device encryption in the past year, according to Helpnet Security.
In addition to that, 31% of companies said they now expect all data to be encrypted by default, whether at rest or in transit, and 24% require all data to be encrypted when stored on their systems or in the cloud.
Furthermore, 27% of IT decision-makers surveyed said their company has increased the use of encryption in several ways, up from zero in the 2020 study. The increase is due to companies being forced to operate in new work environments with increased remote working, requiring the implementation of new systems and controls.
According to Jon Fielding, Managing Director EMEA, Apricorn commented: “The pandemic upended business operations, with vast numbers thrown into remote working. Data traffic is no longer simply moving from the confines of the corporate network, but from numerous devices and from a multitude of locations".
“Encryption is increasingly recognised as a key component for data security and cyber resilience, especially at the highest levels. Examples include the use of encryption being one of very few technologies recommended within GDPR and Joe Biden’s recent Executive Order, stipulating the need to adopt encryption for data at rest and in transit. If ever there were a time to increase and execute the use of encryption, this is it!”
Misplaced devices and lack of encryption are two causes of Data Breaches
When asked to name up to three main causes of a data breach in their organization, 30% of respondents cited a lack of encryption (12%) and lost/misplaced devices containing critical corporate data (18%) as the main causes. This could be due to a lack of control over corporate data.
When asked to name up to three of the most difficult challenges associated with implementing a cybersecurity plan for remote/mobile work, 39% of respondents admitted they cannot be sure their data is adequately secured, 18% said they do not know which of their records need to be encrypted, and 15% said they have no control over where corporate data goes and when it is accessed.
The majority of businesses require encryption
Nonetheless, 77% of respondents verified that their employer has a policy in place that demands encryption of any data stored on removable media. Of those, 33% only allow the use of hardware encrypted organization-approved removable media; 18% only allow the use of organization-approved removable media that aren't hardware-encrypted but software encrypt everything written to them; 16% allow the use of all removable media devices, including employees' own USB sticks, and 10% allow the use of all removable media devices, including employees' own USB sticks.
When asked which devices their organization currently encrypts and to which they plan to expand encryption, IT decision makers surveyed indicated that their organization already encrypts some devices and plans to expand encryption to USB sticks (19%), laptops (16%), desktops (12%), mobile phones (22%), and portable hard drives (18%).