Fortinet Asia-Pacific SASE Survey Highlights Network Security Challenges in the Hybrid Work Era
Fortinet, a global pioneer in cybersecurity solutions, today revealed the findings of a comprehensive survey on Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) in the Asia-Pacific area in partnership with IDC, a renowned market research agency. The survey, performed in nine countries, investigates cybersecurity leaders' thoughts on the impact of hybrid work on their organizations and the techniques used to manage security concerns. The rise of the "Branch-Office-of-One" idea, the risk posed by unmanaged devices, the necessity to safeguard cloud connections, increased security incidents, and a preference for a Single-Vendor SASE solution are among the key findings.
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| Fortinet Asia-Pacific SASE Survey Highlights Network Security Challenges in the Hybrid Work Era |
The Rise of the 'Branch-Office-of-One':
According to the poll, 88% of respondents in the Philippines have embraced a hybrid or totally remote working model, with 58% employing at least half of their workforce in a hybrid mode. As a result of this transition, employees have become "branch offices of one," operating from numerous locations outside the typical workplace. As a result, 48% of respondents in the Philippines estimate a significant increase of more than 100% in managed devices over the next two years, with some expecting a 400% increase. Furthermore, 76% of respondents anticipate an increase of more than 50% in unmanaged devices. This increase in devices raises worries about the complexity and security dangers that organizations confront, as well as adds to the workload of IT security staff.
Unmanaged Devices Are Dangerous:
Because of the advent of cloud computing and remote work, a growing number of users, devices, and data are now located outside of organizational networks. Currently, 30% of devices connecting to networks in the Philippines are unmanaged, providing a security concern. This proportion is expected to rise, with 76% anticipating a 50% increase by 2025.
The Importance of Cloud Security:
Employees require various connections to external systems and cloud applications to remain productive in the age of hybrid work. According to the report, employees in the Philippines need more than 30 connections to third-party cloud apps, which increases the danger of security breaches. Respondents estimate this number to treble over the next two years, with more than 70% expecting a threefold increase, increasing the security concern. Maintaining network security while ensuring employee access to third-party and cloud-based services is a considerable challenge, as standard security methods have proven insufficient.
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Incidents of increased security:
The adoption of hybrid work, as well as the increase in managed and uncontrolled connections, has resulted in a significant increase in security incidents. 62% of polled organizations in the Philippines reported more than treble the number of breaches. According to the report, 94% of respondents in the Philippines have seen a 2X rise in security incidents. Phishing, denial of service, data/identity theft, ransomware, and data loss are among the most serious security events. However, only 49% of Asian organizations have a dedicated security team, making them more vulnerable to security events and breaches.
SASE:
A Game-Changer for Hybrid Work: Many organizations in the Philippines intend to invest in a Single-Vendor SASE solution to overcome the issues provided by hybrid work. This strategy attempts to improve their security posture while ensuring uniformity in remote employees' user experience. Organizations are looking towards SASE solutions because they require a comprehensive solution that provides a consistent security posture for users on and off the network, simplifies security policy management, and improves the user experience.
Preference for a Single Supplier:
Organizations are looking for a unified platform to streamline operations as they adopt SASE to handle networking and security services. According to the poll, 76% of Filipino respondents choose a single provider for networking and security capabilities. Furthermore, 82% of organizations have either consolidated or are in the process of combining their IT security vendors. More than half (54%) choose a single provider for cloud-delivered security services and SDWAN, citing benefits such as fewer security holes, enhanced network performance, simplicity of deployment, and addressing integration and scalability concerns.
Quotes in Support:
"As the Philippines continues to embrace the digital future and become a leader in the digital economy, it is critical that we acknowledge the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber-attacks and data breaches," said Alan Reyes, Country Manager, Fortinet Philippines. Fortinet is dedicated to closing the skills gap and providing all employees with the necessary cybersecurity expertise and awareness. We hope that our Single-Vendor SASE solution will assist organizations in the Philippines in solving the security challenges of a changing workforce by simplifying security policy management and improving the user experience for remote employees."
"As the world shifts to hybrid work, organizations face the challenge of securing a 'branch-office-of-one' environment where employees and devices operate outside traditional office boundaries," said Daniel Kwong, Field CISO for SEA and HK. The survey highlights the importance of organizations implementing a comprehensive security policy that tackles the complexity and risk brought by the rise of remote work. With its integrated networking and security features, single-vendor SASE is proving to be a game changer for many organizations seeking a simplified and uniform security posture for users on and off the network."
"These findings highlight the importance of prioritizing security posture and investing in cloud-delivered solutions that seamlessly integrate with on-premises solutions to manage hybrid work environments and mitigate risks," said Simon Piff, Research Vice President, IDC Asia/Pacific. The desire for a single vendor and infrastructure convergence highlights the importance of efficient administration, and a zero-trust architecture can improve security and usability. Organizations must address these difficulties and invest in security solutions to support their hybrid workforce and prevent security concerns."
Overview of the Survey:
450 cybersecurity leaders from nine Asian countries participated in the poll, including Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. Respondents came from various businesses, including manufacturing, retail, logistics, healthcare, financial services, and government.
For additional details on the survey results, go to https://www.fortinet.com.