85% of remote and hybrid employees have been a victim of phishing attacks at least once

[For immediate release]

AUSTRALIA --- 26 September 2023

A recent two-part study found that 85% of remote and hybrid workers have experienced a phishing attempt, of which 67% have received more than one.

With technology playing a vital role in the remote working shift, GetApp surveyed 1,024 fully remote or hybrid employees in Australia to see how they feel about different working scenarios and what security implications remote working models pose for companies.

Remote workers from rural areas value in-person connections.

The survey revealed that 82% of respondents prefer remote work. The data shows that slightly more respondents from rural areas (46%) enjoy working remotely compared to 45% from suburbs and 42% from urban areas.

Only 18% of respondents would be willing to apply for an entirely in-person job. 26% of those who reside in a rural area said they are more inclined to apply for a fully in-person job.

While 29% of respondents chose the lack of travel as the most popular benefit of remote working, 27% said loneliness is a challenge for them working remotely. Isolation is a challenge for 37% from rural areas, who said loneliness is a big problem.

Just over half (51%) of respondents said in-person relationships were the most significant advantage of working in an office environment, followed by a greater awareness of what's happening in the company. While 51% of respondents said they like in-person connections in the office environment, rural-based respondents (57%) value in-person relationships the most.

Both remote and hybrid work share security risks.

When respondents were asked how they use passwords across different sites, 43% said they use unique passwords for each one. However, 44% also said they rely on memory and 30% store passwords in an Excel spreadsheet or document. Surprisingly, only about a third (30%) of respondents manage their passwords using password management add-ons or software.

While 31% of respondents use several master passwords for different websites, 25% use one master password for all websites. Nearly six in ten respondents (59%) who do not have unique passwords for each site use the same passwords for their personal and business accounts. In particular, one in five respondents (20%) use names in their passwords that could expose them to hackers.

The study found that almost one in four (26%) remote or hybrid workers keep their passwords the same after a phishing attack. Only a quarter of respondents (25%) have installed email security software to ensure a secure remote or hybrid work environment.

There is a need for remote working to become safer.

An alarming 48% of people who received phishing emails said the phishing attempt impersonated a company. Almost half (46%) of the same subgroup ignore phishing emails even once they realise they have malicious intent.

To prevent an attack, 38% of respondents set up two-factor authentication (2FA) software, whilst 34% said they installed antivirus software. Fewer respondents chose not to use desktop files (12%) and regularly change their Wi-Fi password (18%). In addition, only a quarter (25%) of respondents said they have received security training.

Andrew Blair, Content Analyst at GetApp Australia, said, "Companies that have transitioned to fully remote or hybrid working models in previous years should reflect on what best supports their employees and technology's role. In particular, technology aimed to boost productivity and security while simultaneously fulfilling the needs of location-specific remote and hybrid working employees."

Both articles are available to read on the GetApp blog:

https://www.getapp.com.au/blog/4151/remote-work-Australia-regional-study

https://www.getapp.com.au/blog/4184/remote-work-security

Survey methodology:

_{The data for GetApp’s 2023 Remote Work Survey was collected in April 2023 and comprised answers from 1,024 respondents. The following criteria were used to select respondents:}

• _{Australian resident} 
• _{Employed full or part-time in a company with between 2 and 250 employees}
• _{Aged between 18 and 65}
• _{Works fully remotely or in a hybrid role in a position above trainee level}

_{For the analysis of the survey, respondents were classified by regional location. Each region was classified according to the following criteria:}

• _{Urban: Living in an apartment/unit}
• _{Suburban: Living in a single-family-house/standalone dwelling in a city with more than 100,000 residents}
• _{Rural: Living in a single-family house/standalone dwelling in a city with less than 100,000 residents.}

Key Facts:

• Nearly 8 in 10 respondents like working remotely
• The majority of respondents would only apply for a non-remote job if it is hybrid
• In-person connections at the office attract remote employees
• Remote employees benefit from no commute, but lack communication
• Location impacts how employees work remotely

• 85% of respondents have faced phishing attacks at least once
• Two-factor authentication and antivirus software are popular measures for cybersecurity
• Only 30% of respondents use password management tools
• 59% of respondents who repeat passwords share them between personal and business accounts

About us:

About GetApp:

GetApp is the recommendation engine small businesses need to choose the right software. GetApp enables SMBs to achieve their mission by delivering the tailored, data-driven recommendations and insights required to make informed software purchasing decisions. For more information, visit www.getapp.com.au.

Contact details:

Garry Steel

Marketing Specialist

garry.steel@gartner.com