HP Wolf Security has released a new report highlighting the cybersecurity implications of failing to secure devices at every stage of the lifecycle, with firmware security pinpointed as a particular long-term weak spot. The report found issues with supplier audits, configuration, monitoring and management of devices.
► Audit failures, weak passwords, and ‘FOMU’ highlighted as key issues
► Security concerns hold back reusing or recycling devices
► $8.6 billon black hole of lost/stolen devices and growing e-waste issue
Over 60% of decision-makers do not make firmware updates as soon as they're available for laptops or printers and 57% say they get ‘FOMU’ – Fear Of Making Updates – with firmware. It estimates that lost and stolen devices cost organisations an estimated $8.6 billion every year and one in five mobile workers have lost a PC or had one stolen, taking an average 25 hours before notifying IT.
Giving tech’ a second life is also an issue, with 47% of decision-makers saying data security concerns are a major obstacle to reuse, resale, or recycling with PCs or laptops and 39% seeing it as an issue with printers. Procurement teams rarely collaborate with IT to verify product security and 45% of decision-makers admit they do not have any way to validate the protection claims made in RFPs.
There is significant dissatisfaction with onboarding and configuring kit. While 78% of decision-makers want zero-touch onboarding, 57% are frustrated that they can’t do this in the cloud. Almost half (48%) of mobile workers who had a device delivered to their home complained that the set-up process was disruptive.
The report found that 71% of decision-makers feel the rise in hybrid working has made managing security more difficult. The potential for downtime meanwhile puts employees off getting problems fixed, with 49% saying it took over 2.5 days to repair or replace a faulty device and 12% resorting to an unauthorised third-party break-fix service.
Security worries are impeding the reuse or recycling, with 59% of decision-makers saying it's too hard to give devices a second life; they are often destroyed instead. Even more, 69%, said they are sitting on a significant number of devices that could be repurposed if they were sanitised. Employees also sit on old work devices with 70% having at least one old work PC/laptop at home or in the office and 12% having left a job without returning their device immediately – and almost half of these saying that they never did return it.
HP canvassed views from over 800 IT and security decision-makers and more than 6000 mobile workers. Download the full report here.
