Advancing digitalization has brought companies numerous benefits in recent years, from more efficient work processes to completely new business models. Unfortunately, however, various benefits also come with risks, especially in terms of enterprise security. Cyberattacks have become a constant threat to companies of all sizes and industries. Many mistakenly think that only large corporations are the focus of cybercriminals. However, the reality shows that this is not true: According to the TÜV Cybersecurity Study 2023, one in ten companies surveyed had been affected by an IT security incident in the 12 months prior to the survey.
Agile (a.k.a dynamic, flexible) Working Environments as Threat Potential
Important drivers of cybercrime in recent years have included the rise and professionalization of artificial intelligence (AI) and the increased emergence of agile working environments. But what do we actually mean by agile working environments? Corporate agility has been on everyone’s lips, not least since the pandemic, and is now far more than just a fad. At ZEAL, we interpret agile working literally, namely with a hybrid working model that allows our employees to work from a location of their choice in addition to our offices. In addition to the classic home office and all locations throughout Germany, this even includes a workation policy that enables our employees to work from (nearly) anywhere in the world 30 days a year. The agile working environment has become an integral part of ZEAL’s corporate culture. Studies even show that employees who can determine their own working environment and time feel valued and supported in their work-life balance. However, an agile working environment also comes with disadvantages, as employees working from home or at a workstation are exposed to significantly more cyber risks than employees working from the protected environment of an office. According to a study conducted by HP Wolf Security in 2021, the number of online attacks more than doubled during the pandemic, i.e. in the middle of the home office peak phase. Our IT and cyber security teams have also had their hands full in recent years to protect our employees from cyber threats.
It is therefore hardly surprising that more and more companies are making enterprise security an absolute priority. At ZEAL alone, our team of experts is busy every day protecting the company and our employees from malicious cyberattacks. According to a survey conducted by GoTo in 2022, 76 percent of the companies surveyed stated that the workload of IT employees has increased due to flexible working models – 43 percent even felt that the work of their IT experts has become more difficult.
Education is Key
If a company decides to allow agile working environments and thus not only puts employees in the comfortable position of being able to choose where they work, but also significantly expands its own risk zone, it is utopian to assume that a relatively small IT security team – depending on the size of the company – can single-handedly ensure that all employees at home and abroad are protected against threats from the network. Because without looking for someone to blame, the truth is that in most cases, the problem is not with the technology, but with the user. Ultimately, it is people who click on dangerous links, reuse weak passwords or visit insecure websites. For this reason, the magic word and the starting point for enterprise security in agile working environments is always education. Every employee – whether intern or CEO – must always be aware of online dangers at all times. How do hackers operate? How can I recognize a phishing email? What is a secure password made of? Am I allowed to lend out my work laptop if my new colleague asks nicely? To turn our employees into “IT security experts light”, we at ZEAL rely on a holistic education approach. For example, all of our employees must complete regular trainings in security awareness and data privacy. In addition, we regularly conduct cyber incident simulations. We aim to integrate security into the daily processes and workflows as early as possible, to avoid the assumption of security being seen as the roadblock. Security is there to protect the business and ensure that employees have and will have a place to work.
Security Experts Pave the Way for a Secure Flexible Work Environment
Of course, despite all the precautionary measures and awareness-raising work, the main responsibility for a company’s IT security lies within the enterprise security team, not with the employees. It must ensure that it meets working environments with a flexible IT environment that ensures corporate security at all times despite increased risk situations. This includes selecting the right tools and features to build multi-layered security. These include classics such as VPN connections, SSO, multi factor authentication or solid password management. Cyber attacks are real. Companies should never accept their existing protective measures as rigid and given, but should always be flexible and question and improve their status quo to protect both company and employees. Enterprise security in an agile working environment is possible when decision-makers, employees and the security teams work hand in hand.
By Helge Poel, Director Enterprise Security, ZEAL
About Helge Poel
Helge Poel, born in 1983, is Director Enterprise Security and heads the IT Security division of the ZEAL Group. Prior to this, he had already been responsible for the company-wide establishment of processes and standards within LOTTO24 AG, a subsidiary of ZEAL Network, since 2015 as a project manager and later as Head of Process Management.
With a degree in business administration, his professional focus is on the physical and technical safeguarding of the company to ensure business objectives are met. He is also responsible for the implementation and continuous expansion of an overarching ESG strategy for the ZEAL Group and for the entire corporate IT area.
Prior to his career at ZEAL, the father of two worked as a product owner at whatever mobile and in sales at Esska GmbH.
About ZEAL
ZEAL Network is an e-commerce group of companies based in Hamburg and the market leader for online lotteries in Germany. Founded in 1999, we brought lotteries to the internet. Today, the ZEAL group now has around one million active customers and more than 200 employees at three locations. ZEAL allows the participation in state-licensed lotteries via the LOTTO24 and Tipp24 brands and also offers its own lottery products. ZEAL also owns the brands ZEAL Instant Games, ZEAL Ventures and ZEAL Iberia. In 2024, the ZEAL Group celebrates its 25th anniversary. Since our foundation, growth, innovation and success are at the heart of what we do.