GITNUXREPORT 2025

Remote Work Cybersecurity Statistics

Remote work increases cybersecurity risks amid inadequate training and weak protections.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking • Reputable sources • Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

68% of cybersecurity professionals believe remote work increases cybersecurity risks

Statistic 2

60% of IT security leaders report inadequate cybersecurity budgets for remote work security

Statistic 3

75% of cybersecurity professionals believe remote work has expanded attack surface

Statistic 4

80% of companies report an increase in cybersecurity threats during the transition to remote work

Statistic 5

70% of employees lack proper cybersecurity training for remote work

Statistic 6

33% of remote employees are unaware of the company's cybersecurity policies, leaving gaps

Statistic 7

80% of organizations conduct regular cybersecurity training for remote staff, but only 65% measure its effectiveness

Statistic 8

53% of cybersecurity professionals cite lack of employee awareness as a key challenge in remote work security

Statistic 9

44% of employees reuse passwords across multiple personal and work accounts, heightening the risk of credential compromise

Statistic 10

77% of security incidents involving remote work could have been prevented with better security awareness and training

Statistic 11

40% of remote workers admit to clicking on suspicious links or emails during work hours, leading to potential compromises

Statistic 12

38% of remote workers have never had cybersecurity training, increasing susceptibility to attacks

Statistic 13

52% of organizations experienced a cybersecurity incident due to remote work in 2023

Statistic 14

86% of remote work-related cybersecurity breaches involve phishing attacks

Statistic 15

65% of companies experienced at least one cybersecurity breach related to remote work in the past year

Statistic 16

48% of organizations experienced data loss incidents due to remote work vulnerabilities

Statistic 17

39% of organizations identified malware infections originating from remote devices

Statistic 18

54% of security breaches during 2022 involved weak or stolen passwords, often exploited remotely

Statistic 19

37% of remote workers have experienced security incidents due to insecure Wi-Fi networks

Statistic 20

34% of organizations have experienced credential stuffing attacks targeting remote employees

Statistic 21

50% of cyberattacks on remote workers involve ransomware, with increased incidence in 2023

Statistic 22

29% of remote work-related cybersecurity breaches are caused by social engineering attacks

Statistic 23

41% of remote employees do not report cybersecurity incidents promptly, leading to delayed responses

Statistic 24

67% of organizations experienced cloud security breaches connected with remote work, due to misconfigurations

Statistic 25

72% of remote cyberattacks involve compromised endpoints, emphasizing endpoint security importance

Statistic 26

45% of organizations experienced insider threats linked to remote work, often caused by disgruntled or negligent employees

Statistic 27

30% of organizations reported increased phishing attempts targeting remote workers during 2023

Statistic 28

69% of cybersecurity incidents in remote work environments involve misconfigured security settings

Statistic 29

55% of companies have experienced cloud-based data breaches related to remote work, with misconfigurations being a leading cause

Statistic 30

47% of companies experienced supply chain security issues linked to remote workforce vulnerabilities, indicating interconnected risks

Statistic 31

72% of remote work-related cyberattacks targeted well-known software vulnerabilities, such as unpatched systems

Statistic 32

84% of organizations have experienced at least one remote work-related security incident since 2021

Statistic 33

66% of organizations experienced at least one security breach directly linked to remote work in 2022

Statistic 34

55% of cybersecurity breaches in remote environments are due to supply chain vulnerabilities, highlighting third-party risks

Statistic 35

79% of organizations plan to invest more in endpoint security solutions for remote employees

Statistic 36

50% of organizations are considering implementing zero-trust security models for remote work

Statistic 37

68% of organizations are planning to increase cybersecurity investments specifically targeting remote work environments in 2024

Statistic 38

30% of organizations have a dedicated remote work cybersecurity team, while 50% rely on centralized IT security teams

Statistic 39

53% of organizations track remote work-related cybersecurity metrics and KPIs to improve security posture

Statistic 40

69% of companies consider cybersecurity a top priority in their remote work policies, yet only 45% have fully implemented these policies

Statistic 41

80% of organizations plan to increase investment in cloud security specifically to bolster remote work defenses in 2024

Statistic 42

43% of remote workers use personal devices for work tasks, increasing vulnerability

Statistic 43

VPN usage among remote workers increased by 35% during 2022

Statistic 44

45% of remote workers do not change default or weak passwords on their devices, increasing risk

Statistic 45

55% of organizations have deployed multi-factor authentication (MFA) for remote access, but only 40% enforce it consistently

Statistic 46

58% of remote workers do not use company-provided security tools or software, risking security gaps

Statistic 47

72% of businesses upgrade their cybersecurity measures in response to remote work challenges

Statistic 48

42% of remote workers store sensitive information on unsecured cloud services, risking data exposure

Statistic 49

61% of organizations use security information and event management (SIEM) tools to monitor remote work environments

Statistic 50

22% of remote work setups lack multi-layered security controls, increasing vulnerabilities

Statistic 51

58% of remote workers do not use encryption for sensitive emails or data transfers, increasing risk of interception

Statistic 52

27% of organizations do not monitor remote access logs consistently, making detection of unauthorized access difficult

Statistic 53

80% of remote workers access corporate resources via personal devices, often with limited security controls

Statistic 54

35% of remote workers do not update their device software regularly, exposing them to vulnerabilities

Statistic 55

62% of organizations utilize AI-driven cybersecurity tools to identify threats in remote work setups, increasing detection accuracy

Statistic 56

69% of organizations have adopted security policies specifically for remote work but 31% still lack comprehensive guidelines

Statistic 57

61% of remote workers experience increased cybersecurity fatigue, leading to lapses in security practices

Statistic 58

26% of remote work environments lack proper physical security measures, such as secure storage for devices, increasing theft and tampering risks

Statistic 59

73% of organizations use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to control remote device security, but only 58% update these tools regularly

Statistic 60

63% of organizations plan to implement more frequent security audits for remote systems in 2024, indicating increased security diligence

Statistic 61

29% of remote workers intentionally disable security features, such as firewalls or antivirus software, due to usability issues, putting networks at risk

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Sources

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Key Highlights

68% of cybersecurity professionals believe remote work increases cybersecurity risks
52% of organizations experienced a cybersecurity incident due to remote work in 2023
70% of employees lack proper cybersecurity training for remote work
43% of remote workers use personal devices for work tasks, increasing vulnerability
VPN usage among remote workers increased by 35% during 2022
86% of remote work-related cybersecurity breaches involve phishing attacks
60% of IT security leaders report inadequate cybersecurity budgets for remote work security
79% of organizations plan to invest more in endpoint security solutions for remote employees
65% of companies experienced at least one cybersecurity breach related to remote work in the past year
45% of remote workers do not change default or weak passwords on their devices, increasing risk
55% of organizations have deployed multi-factor authentication (MFA) for remote access, but only 40% enforce it consistently
75% of cybersecurity professionals believe remote work has expanded attack surface
48% of organizations experienced data loss incidents due to remote work vulnerabilities

With remote work becoming the new normal, cybersecurity professionals are warning that over half of organizations experienced security incidents in 2023—highlighting a growing attack surface that demands urgent and comprehensive safeguards.

Cybersecurity Perceptions and Concerns

68% of cybersecurity professionals believe remote work increases cybersecurity risks
60% of IT security leaders report inadequate cybersecurity budgets for remote work security
75% of cybersecurity professionals believe remote work has expanded attack surface
80% of companies report an increase in cybersecurity threats during the transition to remote work

Cybersecurity Perceptions and Concerns Interpretation

With 68% of cybersecurity pros warning of heightened risks and 80% of firms seeing more threats during the remote transition, it’s clear that as we embrace telecommuting, we’re also surfing a much bigger and more dangerous cyber wave—requiring both vigilance and proper funding to stay afloat.

Employee Security Training and Awareness

70% of employees lack proper cybersecurity training for remote work
33% of remote employees are unaware of the company's cybersecurity policies, leaving gaps
80% of organizations conduct regular cybersecurity training for remote staff, but only 65% measure its effectiveness
53% of cybersecurity professionals cite lack of employee awareness as a key challenge in remote work security
44% of employees reuse passwords across multiple personal and work accounts, heightening the risk of credential compromise
77% of security incidents involving remote work could have been prevented with better security awareness and training
40% of remote workers admit to clicking on suspicious links or emails during work hours, leading to potential compromises
38% of remote workers have never had cybersecurity training, increasing susceptibility to attacks

Employee Security Training and Awareness Interpretation

Despite 80% of organizations investing in cybersecurity training for remote staff, the fact that over half remain unaware of policies, a large percentage reuse passwords, and fewer than half have adequate training highlights a disconnect—proving that in the remote work era, cybersecurity effectiveness hinges less on policies and more on truly empowering employees.

Incidents, Breaches, and Preventive Measures

52% of organizations experienced a cybersecurity incident due to remote work in 2023
86% of remote work-related cybersecurity breaches involve phishing attacks
65% of companies experienced at least one cybersecurity breach related to remote work in the past year
48% of organizations experienced data loss incidents due to remote work vulnerabilities
39% of organizations identified malware infections originating from remote devices
54% of security breaches during 2022 involved weak or stolen passwords, often exploited remotely
37% of remote workers have experienced security incidents due to insecure Wi-Fi networks
34% of organizations have experienced credential stuffing attacks targeting remote employees
50% of cyberattacks on remote workers involve ransomware, with increased incidence in 2023
29% of remote work-related cybersecurity breaches are caused by social engineering attacks
41% of remote employees do not report cybersecurity incidents promptly, leading to delayed responses
67% of organizations experienced cloud security breaches connected with remote work, due to misconfigurations
72% of remote cyberattacks involve compromised endpoints, emphasizing endpoint security importance
45% of organizations experienced insider threats linked to remote work, often caused by disgruntled or negligent employees
30% of organizations reported increased phishing attempts targeting remote workers during 2023
69% of cybersecurity incidents in remote work environments involve misconfigured security settings
55% of companies have experienced cloud-based data breaches related to remote work, with misconfigurations being a leading cause
47% of companies experienced supply chain security issues linked to remote workforce vulnerabilities, indicating interconnected risks
72% of remote work-related cyberattacks targeted well-known software vulnerabilities, such as unpatched systems
84% of organizations have experienced at least one remote work-related security incident since 2021
66% of organizations experienced at least one security breach directly linked to remote work in 2022
55% of cybersecurity breaches in remote environments are due to supply chain vulnerabilities, highlighting third-party risks

Incidents, Breaches, and Preventive Measures Interpretation

With over half of organizations facing remote work-related cybersecurity incidents in 2023—ranging from phishing to supply chain and endpoint threats—it's clear that in today's digital workplace, cybersecurity isn't just a policy—it's a remote necessity, especially when passwords, configurations, and vigilant reporting can spell the difference between resilience and vulnerability.

Organizational Cybersecurity Strategies and Priorities

79% of organizations plan to invest more in endpoint security solutions for remote employees
50% of organizations are considering implementing zero-trust security models for remote work
68% of organizations are planning to increase cybersecurity investments specifically targeting remote work environments in 2024
30% of organizations have a dedicated remote work cybersecurity team, while 50% rely on centralized IT security teams
53% of organizations track remote work-related cybersecurity metrics and KPIs to improve security posture
69% of companies consider cybersecurity a top priority in their remote work policies, yet only 45% have fully implemented these policies
80% of organizations plan to increase investment in cloud security specifically to bolster remote work defenses in 2024

Organizational Cybersecurity Strategies and Priorities Interpretation

As remote work continues to redefine the workplace, organizations are racing to fortify their digital borders—from nearly doubling cloud security budgets to adopting zero-trust models—recognizing that in the remote era, cybersecurity isn't just a priority but its own indispensable remote team.

Remote Work Security Practices

43% of remote workers use personal devices for work tasks, increasing vulnerability
VPN usage among remote workers increased by 35% during 2022
45% of remote workers do not change default or weak passwords on their devices, increasing risk
55% of organizations have deployed multi-factor authentication (MFA) for remote access, but only 40% enforce it consistently
58% of remote workers do not use company-provided security tools or software, risking security gaps
72% of businesses upgrade their cybersecurity measures in response to remote work challenges
42% of remote workers store sensitive information on unsecured cloud services, risking data exposure
61% of organizations use security information and event management (SIEM) tools to monitor remote work environments
22% of remote work setups lack multi-layered security controls, increasing vulnerabilities
58% of remote workers do not use encryption for sensitive emails or data transfers, increasing risk of interception
27% of organizations do not monitor remote access logs consistently, making detection of unauthorized access difficult
80% of remote workers access corporate resources via personal devices, often with limited security controls
35% of remote workers do not update their device software regularly, exposing them to vulnerabilities
62% of organizations utilize AI-driven cybersecurity tools to identify threats in remote work setups, increasing detection accuracy
69% of organizations have adopted security policies specifically for remote work but 31% still lack comprehensive guidelines
61% of remote workers experience increased cybersecurity fatigue, leading to lapses in security practices
26% of remote work environments lack proper physical security measures, such as secure storage for devices, increasing theft and tampering risks
73% of organizations use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to control remote device security, but only 58% update these tools regularly
63% of organizations plan to implement more frequent security audits for remote systems in 2024, indicating increased security diligence
29% of remote workers intentionally disable security features, such as firewalls or antivirus software, due to usability issues, putting networks at risk

Remote Work Security Practices Interpretation

With nearly three-quarters of organizations deploying endpoint tools yet over half of remote workers neglecting essential security practices, it's clear that in the remote work security race, technology is trying to keep up — but human habits still leave the finish line perilously close.