Singapore faces growing cybersecurity risks due to employee behaviors

SINGAPORE: Singapore is grappling with increasing cybersecurity challenges stemming from risky employee behaviors, according to a new report by CyberArk.

The report highlights troubling trends in how employees handle sensitive data and adhere to security protocols, exposing companies to potential breaches.

A survey conducted by CyberArk, involving 14,003 workers, revealed that 90% of employees in Singapore use personal devices with inadequate security measures to access workplace applications containing critical data.

Nearly half (44%) admitted to downloading customer data onto their devices, and 40% reported being able to alter critical or sensitive information.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in workplaces is another significant factor contributing to security vulnerabilities. While over 81% of employees in Singapore use AI tools at work, more than one-third (34%) fail to consistently follow protocols for handling sensitive data while using these technologies.

Another alarming finding is the frequent disregard for cybersecurity policies.

Sixty-three percent of employees admitted to bypassing such policies to simplify their workflows. Common risky behaviors include using personal devices as WiFi hotspots, forwarding corporate emails to personal accounts, and reusing passwords across multiple platforms.

Password misuse emerged as a particularly widespread issue. Fifty-five percent of employees reported using the same credentials across several work-related applications, while 47% admitted to using identical login information for both personal and work accounts.

Alarmingly, 65% of respondents acknowledged sharing workplace-specific confidential information with external parties.

The findings point to the urgent need for organizations in Singapore to strengthen cybersecurity awareness and enforce stricter security policies. Experts warn that failing to address these behaviors could leave businesses vulnerable to costly data breaches and reputational damage.