Observed Signal · Dec 17, 2020 · Survey · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Digital Security in Home Office: Employees Careless
CyberArk commissioned a study of 2,000 home-office workers across Germany, the UK, and the USA, revealing significant digital-security gaps in remote work. 59% admitted to deliberately bypassing corporate security policies to boost productivity, such as forwarding internal documents to private email or installing restricted apps on work devices. Password hygiene is poor, with 91% reusing the same password across multiple programs and servers, increasing cross-account risk. Private use of work devices is common: 54% use corporate devices for personal purposes, and 34% allow other household members to use those devices. About half of respondents had participated in digital-security training, with CyberArk attributing risky behaviors to knowledge gaps. The piece calls for stronger employer-led security education and clearer explanations of risks associated with practices like password sharing or using WhatsApp on company devices.
Security risks in home-office workflows and need for employer-led training have moderate industry relevance but are not groundbreaking.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- CyberArk commissioned a study of 2,000 home-office workers across Germany, the UK, and the USA.
- 59% bypass security policies to be more productive (e.g., forwarding documents to private email, installing prohibited apps).
- 91% reuse the same password across multiple programs and servers.
- 54% use corporate devices for private purposes; 34% allow others in the household to use those devices.
- About 50% participated in digital-security training; lack of knowledge cited as a driver of risky behavior.
Connected Companies & Entities
1 Entity mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Survey: Cyberattacks hit 90% of European SMBs
A Kaspersky survey reveals that 90% of European small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) experienced at least one security incident in the past year. The most severe incidents included broad malware attacks and attacks using legitimate administrator tools, each at 10%. Phishing and exploitation of vulnerabilities related to AI followed at 8% each. Personal customer data was affected in 28% of severe incidents, business strategy information in 26%, and sensitive data like financial access or legal documents in 25%. Many companies reacted by installing new security solutions, updating systems, introducing password policies, or conducting vulnerability scans. Kaspersky recommends restrictive access rights, automated backups, clear software installation guidelines, and regular security training for employees.
One in Nine German Internet Users Hit by Cybercrime
A representative survey published in the Cybersicherheitsmonitor 2026 by the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and the Police Crime Prevention authority (ProPK) finds that 11% of internet users in Germany were victims of cybercrime in the past year and 27% have experienced digital crime in their lifetime. The study, based on interviews with 3,060 people in January 2026, reports online-shopping fraud (22%), unauthorized account access (14%), online-banking fraud (13%) and phishing (12%) as the most common offenses. Nearly 88% of victims suffered harm, with 33% reporting financial losses and many reporting reduced trust in online services. The survey also highlights limited proactive security behaviour: 55% perceive their personal risk as low, only 14% regularly inform themselves about cybersecurity, and use rates for protective measures like strong passwords (46%) and antivirus software (40%) remain suboptimal. BSI and ProPK call for simpler, more secure products from industry.
90% of SMEs Affected by Cyberattacks
A Kaspersky study cited by Retail-News reports that 90% of surveyed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Europe experienced at least one security incident within a year. The research finds that human factors — insufficient IT security knowledge, weak security culture, and poor organizational structures — are more often blamed for successful attacks than missing security technologies. Phishing affected 23% of respondents, AI-based attacks 18%, while vulnerabilities, business email compromise, supply-chain attacks and deepfakes each affected about 15%. Around 74% of surveyed companies have increased cybersecurity spending, investing in personnel, hybrid/cloud protection and security training; 65% plan further security investments. Kaspersky recommends combining modern security software with regular employee training, automated backups, strict access controls and email protection.
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