A perfect example of remote-work security challenges occurred when an NTUC employee accidentally downloaded malware onto a laptop he was using to access corporate files by plugging in a personal USB drive. “We received a security alert right away, but the remediation was tough,” recalls Loe. “We actually had to send a cybersecurity staffer to the employee’s house on a motorbike to retrieve the computer for investigation. In the past, we could protect the network by simply cutting off the employee’s laptop access. But when an employee is working from home, we can’t take the chance of losing any data over the internet.”

Welcome to the new cybersecurity threat landscape, where 61% of organizations are increasing cybersecurity investment in the work-from-home pandemic era, according to a 2021 Gartner CIO Agenda survey. Remote workers rely on cloud computing services to do their jobs, whether it’s corresponding with co-workers, collaborating on projects, or joining video-conferencing calls with clients. And when information technology (IT) teams, now at a physical remove, are not responsive to their needs, remote workers can easily shop for their own online solutions to problems. But all that bypasses normal cybersecurity practices—and opens up a world of worry for IT.

Yet for many regions of the world, remote work is just one of many factors increasing an organization’s exposure to cybersecurity breaches. The Asia-Pacific region is no exception, where 51% of organizations surveyed by MIT Technology Review Insights and Palo Alto Networks report having experienced a cybersecurity attack originating from an unknown, unmanaged, or poorly managed digital asset.

Conducting a full inventory of internet-connected assets and rebooting cybersecurity policies for today’s modern remote work environment can mitigate risks. But organizations must also understand the cybersecurity trends and challenges that define their markets, many of which are unique to organizations operating in the Asia-Pacific.

To better understand the challenges facing today’s security teams in this region, and the strategies they must embrace, MIT Technology Review Insights and Palo Alto…