IT for the Modern Workplace

REPORT 2019

THE FUTURE OF THE MODERN WORKPLACE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYBetween March and April 2019, Atlas Cloud released a survey to discover if current technology used by businesses meets the needs of today’s workforce. The responses provided valuable insight into areas where IT may need to improve to help shape the future of the modern workplace.

Over 1,200 people from across the UK filled in the survey including both those responsible for IT within their organisation and those who merely consume it.

SURVEY

CONTENTS1. Login processes

2. CEO Fraud awareness

3. USB access

4. Saving habits

5. Remote working

6. Device dependency

7. Password usage

8. System stability

Responses came from a diverse range of industries including construction, education, finance, healthcare, legal and professional services. This helped us to examine the intricacies of workplace technology and how it varies from business to business.

LOGIN PROCESSESThe survey found that a worrying 91.7% of organisations use only single-factor authentication for user logins. For Public Sector organisations (81.1% single-factor) and Educational Institutions (100% single-factor) this represents a massive security risk considering their access to highly-sensitive confidential data e.g. council tax payments, children's information.

Using a single password for authentication is an out-dated method of security with 81%1 of data breaches being attributed to compromised passwords. It also puts organisations at risk in the event of a work device being lost or stolen.

Adding an extra layer of protection by adopting multi-factor authentication is an easy way to ramp up organisational security. Many users inevitably use the same password for multiple logins, so using a two-step verification service such as Google Authenticator, Authy or Duo helps to protect against this bad practice.

Single-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication

How do users login?

Public Sector Education

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91.7%

8.3%

81.1%18.9%

Username

Login

Verification Code

Password

The majority of email breaches are down to human error and alarmingly CEO Fraud/impersonation emails continue to rise in number, up 80%2 in the past 12 months.

Only 28.5% of workers are actually aware of what CEO Fraud is, proving there's still much to be done to protect businesses from a threat that can result in £000's being unwittingly wired to sneaky fraudsters.

Investing in a security tool capable of preventing impersonation attacks - amongst other things - is a must (e.g. Mimecast). However, to significantly reduce the chances of being caught up in such an attack, it's also imperative to focus on user education and awareness to provide an extra line of defence against scammers.

If security is a coin, then on one side of the coin are automated security controls and on the other side is the "human firewall."“

Matthew Gardiner, Mimecast

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28.5% of workers knowwhat CEO fraud is

CEO FRAUD AWARENESS

61% of organisations allow USB access on work devices, putting themselves at great risk. For instance, a USB-borne virus might compromise data or the network. USB access also leaves companies open to insider threat, whereby a worker extracts corporate data either to resell or to take to their next job.

Worryingly the figure is even higher for remote-enabled workers, with 64.5% allowed USB access. In addition to the threats already outlined, an unattended laptop in a coffee shop or on the train could easily be targeted with a malicious USB attack in a matter of seconds.

It is recommended by the National Cyber Security Centre3 to restrict user access to USB where possible in order to protect your IT infrastructure and data. Additionally, switching to a cloud-based file sharing solution such as Citrix Content Collaboration, would give users the ability to share and access data remotely without impacting security.

USB ACCESS

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61% of companies allow USB access on work devices

64.5%of remote-enabled workersare allowed USB access

SAVING HABITS64.9% of workers still save work to their device rather than onto a company shared drive. There could be several reasons behind this such as the lack of a shared drive or the inaccessibilty of a shared network drive when working remotely.

Whatever the reason, not saving to a shared drive could have the following implications: a. Inability to recover or protect files in the event of device loss, damage or theft, b. Inability for teams to collaborate effectively, c. Inability to work remotely.

Regardless of whether users have the option to save onto a shared drive it’s hard to break the habit of users saving to their desktop. This problem can be alleviated by using hosted desktops because no matter where they save their files they will be stored in the cloud and remain accessible anywhere, at any time, on any device.

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64.9%

35.1%

Save to shared drive

Save to device

Where do users save files?

While 64.5% of companies offer remote working for employees only 35% are able to complete 100% of their tasks when working outside of the office. This is likely why a recent CIPD report found a meagre 6%4 of employees afforded the flexibility to work from home actually took advantage of it. A dependence on company-issued devices may also be a contributing factor.

The preference for remote/flexible working continues to grow and is something all office-based businesses may need to address. 70%5 of workers are more attracted to a job if it offers remote working and of those who work remotely 80%6 say they are more productive when working from home. It's therefore vital to provide remote users with the most productive environment possible so that 100% of work-related tasks can be carried out regardless of location.

Ultimately the best way to achieve this is a move away from traditional on-site IT. For instance, a cloud-based desktop setup will allow users access to all their files and applications wherever they are and on whatever device they prefer to use. Similarly, company network drives can be accessed as if the user were working on-premise.

REMOTE WORKING

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of workers have the option – but perhapsnot the tools – to work remotely

64.5%

DEVICE DEPENDENCYWe all have our preferred ways of working, including the device we work on. However, 74% of users report being restricted to certain devices when carrying out their work, undoubtedly having a big impact on their productivity. This is especially so if a worker needs to travel or work remotely as they'll endure limitations in what they're able to access.

26% of companies surveyed offered employees the flexibility to use multiple devices. These companies will be able to benefit from BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) initiatives. It can be highly beneficial to remove restrictions placed upon users so they're able to work productively from any device.

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74%26%

Free to use any device

Tied to certain devices

What is the level of device dependency?

PASSWORD USAGEA third of all respondents (33.4%) said they're required to remember more than 6 workplace passwords.

Having a multitude of passwords creates several issues for a business. Firstly, it impacts a user's productivity, having to remember so many passwords to sign into multiple applications. Secondly, there is a knock-on effect to IT teams as resetting forgotten passwords is usually the most common support call they deal with. Finally, it's highly likely that users will use the same password for multiple logins, meaning if one password is breached then unwanted access can be gained to many systems and applications.

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How many passwords do users have to remember?

This again highlights the importance of implementing a multi-factor login process as when passwords are compromised there is a secondary layer of protection. A setup such as Citrix Workspace can offer users access to all applications and desktops via a single sign-on utilising a multi-factor login. This can provide massive productivity and security improvements to any company.

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

20+

16 - 20

11 - 15

6 - 10

1 - 5

None

Our survey revealed that hosted desktops are 37.5% less likely to experience a crash than standard desktops. In addition, 32.5% of standard desktop users experience at least one crash per day. Multiply this per user, across the space of a year and we're talking about a significant loss in productivity.

In order to remain competitive in this modern world it's vital that systems are robust and can cope with the pressures placed upon them by users. Moving to a hosted desktop solution can both boost productivity and provide an advantage over competitors who are still using standard desktop technology.

For companies regularly experiencing significant downtime due to their IT setup, investing in a resilient business continuity/disaster recovery solution would also be something worth investigating.

SYSTEM STABILITY

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of standard desktop users experience a system crash at least once per day

32.5%Hosted desktop users are

37.5%less likely to experience a system crash

ABOUT ATLAS CLOUDAtlas Cloud are a Managed Service Provider (MSP) focussed on providing integrated cloud solutions.

We have a strong background in building Hosted Desktop solutions for SMEs as well as modernising legacy applications by moving them to the cloud. We also provide Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), Email Security Solutions and Office 365 Migration and Setup, amongst other services.

Atlas Cloud are Citrix specialists and we’re heavily invested in bringing to the market the latest and greatest in Citrix products including the revolutionary Citrix Workspace.

REFERENCES1Verizon - 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report

2SecurityWeek - Citing Mimecast Email Security Risk Assessment Report August 2018 3NCSC - 10 Steps To Cyber Security

4CIPD - ‘UK Working Lives’ Survey Report 20185PowWowNow - Flexible Working 2017 Report

6Financial Times - Flexible Working: Here’s What Employees Want

IT for the Modern Workplace

www.atlascloud.co.uk | 0191 283 0191 | hello@atlascloud.co.uk

After detecting serious issues with our previous IT setup, we needed a solution that enabled us to embrace digital modernisation whilst still being fully secure. Staff now have the ability to work around the clock, when it suits them. The main thing is that you can’t beat the safety, security and compliance Atlas offers.

“Ravi Khosla, Partner Kenneth M Barrow