Insider Risk Management Concerns Rise as Security Priorities Shift Post-Pandemic

Recent independent survey highlights changing security postures driven by Zero Trust

As companies exit the pandemic, security leaders will be challenged with new data security complexities. Remote work over the past year magnified challenges that companies face around protecting data exposure and file exfiltration from Insider Risk, and that will only continue if proactive precautions aren’t taken. According to a recent commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Code42, Insider Risk Management (IRM) is of greater concern now for 74% of companies than it was before the pandemic.

The survey commissioned by Code42 gathered insights from over 200 security professionals in the U.S. who are involved with their company’s data loss prevention (DLP) and/or data breach mitigation strategies and planning. The research explores how companies are currently treating Insider Risk Management and the changes being adopted to pursue a more holistic approach to data risk management as part of Zero Trust strategies.

Key findings from the study include:

• 66% of respondents experience data leaks due to insiders at least monthly.
• 82% of security professionals identify protecting sensitive company and customer data as a top priority.
• 71% of respondents agree that traditional approaches to DLP aren’t working.
• 59% of respondents identified the need to pursue more holistic Insider Data Risk Management as part of their Zero Trust strategy.

Access the full study here.

“As business leaders activate post-pandemic work plans, it’s crucial that security programs co-exist with collaborative work tools rather than handcuff employees who are simply trying to get their jobs done,” said Joe Payne, Code42 president and CEO. “In the waning months of the pandemic, we expect workforce turnover to increase. With that personnel movement will come a heightened risk to company data – source code, marketing plans, and customer lists are all digital and portable. Putting in place an Insider Risk Management strategy now can stem future data risk and keep workforces productive, creative and innovative.”

Although companies are reprioritizing Insider Risk, there are still significant roadblocks to implementation. Survey respondents identified the complexity of too many disconnected tools (75%), managing false positives (71%) and complexity of policy creation and deployment (67%) as top inhibitors of effective IRM. Much of this can be bridged to improve security awareness across the organization and help employees better understand appropriate data access and file movement. As such, 64% of firms say they will increase security awareness amongst employees in the year ahead.

As companies continue to adapt their security postures for modern working environments, Insider Risk Management will increasingly become a focal point of successful data security strategies. For more information, download Forrester’s Opportunity Snapshot here or read our latest blog, which deep-dives on key takeaways from the research.

About Code42

Code42 is the Insider Risk Management leader. Native to the cloud, the Code42® Incydr™ solution rapidly detects data loss, leak and theft as well as speeds incident response – all without lengthy deployments, complex policy management or blocking employee productivity. With Code42, security professionals can protect corporate data and reduce insider threats while fostering an open and collaborative culture for employees. Backed by security best practices and control requirements, Code42’s Insider Risk solution is FedRAMP authorized and can be configured for GDPR, HIPAA, PCI and other regulatory frameworks.

More than 50,000 organizations worldwide, including the most recognized brands in business and education, rely on Code42 to safeguard their ideas. Founded in 2001, the company is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and is backed by Accel Partners, JMI Equity, NewView Capital and Split Rock Partners. Code42 was recognized by Inc. magazine as one of America’s best workplaces in 2020. For more information, visit code42.com.

© 2021 Code42 Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Code42, the Code42 logo and Incydr are registered trademarks or trademarks of Code42 Software, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other marks are properties of their respective owners.

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