Kaspersky study reveals cybersecurity gaps in global companies

A recent study by Kaspersky has highlighted significant concerns over cybersecurity disparities in geo-distributed companies. According to the report, 62% of these businesses recognise a disparity between the levels of cyber protection at their head office (HQ) and their various branches.

Of those who admitted the existence of a security gap, 48% did not view it as critical, whereas 14% believed that their branches required considerably more cybersecurity measures. Only 38% were confident that their cybersecurity measures at the HQ were equally effective across all their sites.

Kaspersky experts have underscored the risks associated with these disparities, stating that unequal levels of protection could imperil the entire organisation. The study, entitled "Managing geographically distributed businesses: challenges and solutions," delves into network and information security challenges faced by such companies and suggests solutions to address these issues.

The disparity arises partly due to budgetary constraints and a lack of trust in local expertise. In 37% of the cases, head offices took on all cybersecurity responsibilities, citing insufficient knowledge and qualifications among local staff. Even when cybersecurity tasks were shared, in 60% of instances, they were supervised by the HQ.

Anton Solovey, Senior Product Manager (XDR) at Kaspersky, commented: "Although the most sensitive data may be held centrally, access to the company’s assets is required from several locations. When these locations are not as well protected as the head office, it creates security risks for the entire organisation. There may be a misconception that lower levels of protection will suffice for secondary sites, but cybercriminals can penetrate the company’s infrastructure from any location."

To mitigate these risks, Kaspersky experts recommend the deployment of centralised and automated cybersecurity solutions. They emphasise the importance of consistent and effective protection across all sites, both at the HQ and local branches. One such solution is Kaspersky Next XDR Expert, which offers comprehensive cyber protection by aggregating and correlating data from multiple sources and leveraging machine learning for effective threat detection and rapid response.

The report draws from a broad dataset, questioning 1,000 respondents from 20 countries, including the USA, the UK, Germany, Brazil, and China. This wide range of respondents ensures that the findings are representative of the challenges faced by geo-distributed companies globally.

For businesses operating across multiple sites, the findings serve as a crucial reminder of the need for uniform cybersecurity measures and the potential risks posed by unevenly distributed protection. Implementing comprehensive and adaptive cybersecurity solutions could be essential in safeguarding organisational integrity.