As businesses embrace flexible and hybrid work models, the risks to device security have escalated. Kensington’s recent market research reveals the pressing challenges organizations encounter in protecting their devices and offers effective solutions to address these vulnerabilities. Here’s what we uncovered.
Challenges of Hybrid Working: Data Security Risks and Laptop Theft
The transition to decentralized work environments has unveiled new vulnerabilities, raising significant concerns about remote work safety and cybersecurity for organizations managing hybrid teams. A staggering 93% of surveyed organizations reported an increase in security risks since the pandemic, with device theft outside of secure office environments emerging as a primary concern. Alarmingly, 76% of organizations experienced device theft in the past two years, particularly prevalent in hybrid (74%) and fully remote setups (94%).
These thefts come with costs that extend beyond hardware replacement. They often necessitate heightened security measures and can result in legal or regulatory repercussions due to compromised data. According to IBM’s latest Cost of a Data Breach report, the global average cost of a data breach in 2024 has reached $4.88 million USD—a 10% increase from the 2023 average of $4.45 million USD. The financial stakes have never been higher.
How Stolen Devices Lead to Data Breaches
Device theft may not be a new concern, but the repercussions are increasingly severe. Each stolen or unsecured device serves as a potential gateway for unauthorized access to sensitive data. Alarmingly, 46% of respondents reported experiencing data breaches or a loss of sensitive data directly linked to unsecured devices.
These risks are present across all workplace settings, underscoring the importance of vigilance. Even organizations with onsite-only models reported being impacted by incidents of theft in the last two years, with 71% being impacted, demonstrating that no environment is immune to this threat.
Kensington Security Locks: A Critical Layer in Enterprise Data Protection
Our research underscores the effectiveness of physical security measures, like the Kensington device locks, in mitigating theft and data breaches. Organizations that utilize security locks are 37% less likely to experience data breaches due to unsecured devices (38% versus 60% for those without locks). This evidence highlights the value of security locks as a proactive investment.
The benefits extend beyond just data protection:
- Cost-Effectiveness: 84% of IT leaders consider security locks a cost-effective solution for mitigating breaches.
- Theft Prevention: Nearly all respondents (97%) believe that physical security locks effectively deter theft and reduce unauthorized access to some extent.
Despite these advantages, nearly 30% of respondents not currently using device locks reported experiencing data breaches due to stolen devices in the last two years, revealing a significant gap in their security strategies.
Closing Security Gaps: Why Some Organizations Underestimate Physical Device Protection
While the benefits of security locks are evident, our research reveals a surprising gap in how their value is perceived within organizations. Senior leaders are more likely to recognize the cost-effectiveness of security locks (56%) compared to mid-level managers (36%), highlighting a disconnect across the corporate hierarchy.
This discrepancy could be attributed to several factors:
- Differing Priorities: Senior executives often focus on the broader implications—protecting the company's reputation, avoiding regulatory fines, and ensuring long-term financial stability. They view security breaches as threats to both the organization’s bottom line and public trust. In contrast, mid-level managers are more attuned to day-to-day operational impacts, such as productivity disruptions or IT support challenges, which can make physical security seem like a lower priority.
- Awareness of Financial Implications: Leadership teams are typically more informed about the financial consequences of data breaches. With the average cost of a data breach reaching millions, senior leaders understand the ROI of preventive measures like security locks. Mid-level managers, however, may lack visibility into these high-level financial risks, leading to an underestimation of the stakes involved.
- Lack of Training and Communication: Security policies are often developed at the top but may not be effectively communicated to all departments. Without consistent messaging and education about the importance of physical security, mid-level managers and their teams may perceive device locks as optional rather than essential.
A Multi-Layered Approach to Device Security and Data Protection
While physical security measures like laptop lock cables are essential, they should be integrated into a comprehensive data security strategy for remote workers. This strategy should include multi-factor authentication (MFA) and laptop privacy screens to safeguard sensitive information.
Currently, 71% of respondents report using some form of two-factor authentication, while 26% indicate they are not yet using it but plan to implement it in the future. Additionally, privacy screens offer another layer of protection against visual hacking since 23% of organizations recognize visual hacking as a significant concern in their overall device security.
This multi-layered approach ensures that both devices and data remain secure in an increasingly decentralized workplace.
Take Action to Protect Your Organization
Investing in laptop theft protection is a cost-effective strategy to mitigate the potentially devastating consequences of data breaches. Implementing simple yet effective solutions, such as Kensington locks, privacy screens, and VeriMark™ biometric security, can significantly enhance your organization’s security posture.
Kensington locks provide robust physical security, deterring theft and protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access. Privacy screens safeguard against visual hacking, ensuring that confidential information remains private. Additionally, VeriMark™ fingerprint and security keys offer advanced biometric authentication, adding an extra layer of protection by ensuring that only authorized users can access devices.
By integrating these comprehensive solutions into your security strategy, you can create a more secure environment for your organization and effectively reduce the risk of costly data breaches.
Methodology:
Kensington commissioned independent market research specialist Vanson Bourne to undertake the research upon which this blog is based. A total of 1,000 senior IT leaders who are involved or have influence over physical IT hardware security in their organization were interviewed in Fall 2024, with representation in the US, UK, France and Germany.
Respondents had to be from organizations with 100 or more employees and from a range of private and public sectors.
The interviews were conducted online and were undertaken using a rigorous multi-level screening process to ensure that only suitable candidates were given the opportunity to participate. Unless otherwise indicated, the results discussed are based on the total sample.
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