Without a doubt, digital transformation accelerated amid the pandemic and made it possible for employees to work remotely. However, it also intensified the threat landscape created by malicious attackers who jumped on the first opportunity to attack the more vulnerable home networks. As remote working becomes the new norm, it is paramount to have an agile infrastructure and team for security. Companies need to manage and orchestrate appropriate remediation activities carefully.

Here at Tripwire, we, like many others, recently surpassed the one-year anniversary of working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March of 2020, we have converted kitchens, spare bedrooms and garages into office spaces. Our pets and children have become our coworkers, and companies are reporting a sudden increase in shirt sales as opposed to pant sales.

One of the most significant changes to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic is the shift to remote work. By late 2020, 58% of U.S. employees worked at home at least some of the time, and this trend will likely continue. While a remote workforce can bring several productivity and morale benefits, it also creates some security challenges such as cyber threats. Most companies’ cyber defenses are designed to handle a single, centralized network in one location with standardized devices.

Last year brought a lot of change. Companies across the globe had to pivot, ready or not, and many went fully remote just like we did here at Veracode.

On this one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic declaration from the World Health Organization (WHO), let’s check back in on the remote work stats for the past year.