Over 30% of Irish workers have had an online account compromised since COVID-19 remote working

31 per cent of Irish professionals have had an online account compromised since working remotely, according to new research published by OneLogin, a global leader in identity and access management.

Of those who had their online accounts compromised, 23 per cent updated their online passwords, however, the remaining 7 per cent didn’t take any action.

The research was published by OneLogin to mark World Password Day today.

In line with the Irish Government’s Covid-19 restrictions, an estimated 300,000 Irish professionals are currently working remotely. For many organisations who may not have previously facilitated remote working, this has proven a significant infrastructural challenge for both employers and employees. OneLogin’s study of 5,000 remote employees from Ireland*, the United Kingdom, United States, Germany and France, reveals that security measures and password best practices have not taken priority during this transition.

Remote working

Amongst Irish adults working from home, the research found that 65% are using computers provided by their employers, meanwhile, 35% are remote working on personal computers, often shared by other family members.

The research suggests that 24% of remote workers have updated their home wifi password in the last month; 50% have done so in the last 12 months; meanwhile, the remaining 26% haven’t updated their home wifi password in the last two years or more.

Sharing with family

In addition, nine per cent of those surveyed admit to doing work using public wifi, 11% say they have shared their work computer login details with at least one family member; 13% say they have let a family member use their work computer for personal use; 13% have shared work passwords electronically and 18% have accessed work applications from non-work devices.

Additional findings:

— Visiting risky sites: 25 per cent admit using their work devices for online gambling or gaming; 13 per cent admit using their work devices to visit adult entertainment sites

— Zoom for socialising: 44 per cent admit to using their corporate Zoom account for socialising with friends or family

— Employer guidelines: 81 per cent of remote workers have received remote working security guidelines from their employers; 19% haven’t received any online security instructions from their employer

— Future trends: 65 per cent believe their work culture will be realigned in the future to facilitate more remote working

“Organizations everywhere are facing unprecedented challenges as millions of people are working from home,” said Brad Brooks, CEO and president of OneLogin. “Passwords pose an even greater risk in this WFH environment and – as our study supports – are the weakest link in exposing businesses’ customers and data to bad actors.”

“This global remote work-study shines the light on the importance of ensuring the right people are accessing internal and customer data at all times. It underscores the importance of protecting employees and their entire organisations, aligning with privacy and security best practices around the world,” Brooks said.