Ever since the pandemic has hit, the reliance upon the internet and its related services has been on the high. So much so that even Internet-related frauds have seen some major spikes from 2020 onwards. The over-dependence upon digital services as business and services transition towards post-pandemic makes it an ideal target. Companies such as Unisys have been conducting relevant internet security surveys across America and the globe. It provides important insights into the world of cyber security, a subject that is of big relevance for companies and individuals alike.

The Unisys Report Which Has Been Alarming

Unisys has published a hybridized enterprise security-focused survey that reveals rising online security worries. The study also points to a dearth of cyber risk and threat knowledge among American consumers, including more incidents of employees accessing software not approved for work and circumventing company security protocols.

The Unisys office said that as of 26th October 2021 it polled close to 1,000 customers in the United States. This was followed by 10,000 additional consumers in ten other locations in the world for the updated 2021 Unisys Evaluation Framework. As per the report, worries about internet security increased by 16% in 2021 compared to 2020. The outcome is likewise an all-time highest for the survey’s 15-year span.

Facts From The Unisys Report

Notably, the poll discovered that only 58 percent of the American workforce downloaded unlicensed software, applications, or cloud storage programs for either one of two primary reasons. For a majority, there was no other option and pirated tools proved superior to the company-provided alternatives.

Sixty-two percent of respondents indicated they were uninformed of SMS hacking dangers, while nearly eight out of ten poll participants stated they were uninformed about SIM jacking. If they fall victim to fraud, 72 percent of those surveyed are not aware as to where do they report the incident.

“Many people simply don’t know the privacy dangers associated with installing unauthorized software for tasks,” said Unisys Chief Safety and Infrastructure Director Mat Newfield. “However, with the hybrid workplace here to remain, the survey goes to show how much of paramount importance it is to be equipped with the right tool. To enhance productivity and coordination for remote employees without compromising company security, more is needed.”

“The main message for companies, including governments is that workforce want their companies to do something to integrate the two. When you’re delivering safe and conforming digital services, the risk of being attacked is going to be significantly lower,” Newfield noted.

Types Of Online Attacks And Sectors Most Hit

There has been a surge in the types of online attacks and certain sectors have been hit the most compared to others. Attack types range from server attacks to ransomware hits. Some of the sectors that have been hit the most are finance, manufacturing, and energy.

The online model for many financial services makes them an easy target for many online attacks. The high volume of data and the money flow model make them highly lucrative targets.

Manufacturing has been a very disruptive target as simple attacks could lead to huge losses of data and material.

1) Finance – The majority of financial and insurance-related attacks were server attacks, comprising 28% among them all. The rest were divided among phishing attacks and ransomware. Financial services were hit the most among all other sectors.

2) Manufacturing – Manufacturing was the target of 21% of ransomware attacks. Manufacturing businesses were subjected to four times the number of BEC assaults as any other industry. Manufacturing was the 2nd most-attacked sector in 2020, rising from the eighth position in 2019, and got 17.7 percent of all assaults on the 10 leading industries. This is upwards of more than double of 8.1% it suffered the previous year. The industry’s resurgence as a target, particularly for ransomware, BEC, and remote monitoring trojan assaults, is highlighted by threat actors’ increased emphasis on industrial production. The industry had also placed second in the year 2015 and third in the year 2017.