n a recently released report, analyst firm 451 Research S&P Global Market Intelligence warns that the privacy policy backlash recently experienced by WhatsApp is a wakeup call for businesses, highlighting the relevance that secure enterprise communications will have post-COVID-19.

Nearly a year since the outbreak, organizations are shifting their focus to the long-term and have encountered new challenges, such as addressing the complexities that enabling secure remote collaboration entails. While the use of consumer over-the-top (OTT) messaging apps has remained an ongoing issue in the workplace for several years, the shift to remote work makes this an even more pressing issue.

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NetSfere, a global provider of next-generation secure and compliant messaging and mobility solutions, can help organizations address these concerns. “At NetSfere, we are always looking for ways to improve our solutions by working closely with industry analysts to identify current needs,” said Anurag Lal, President and CEO of NetSfere. “We are pleased to be named in the latest 451 Research report alongside key industry players enabling secure communications for distributed and mobile workers. With WhatsApp’s latest privacy policy updates, implementing a tool like NetSfere has never been more important.

The ongoing use of OTT messaging apps in the workplace has become an even greater issue as a remote workforce has introduced a new set of cybersecurity threats. Furthermore, WhatsApp’s recent privacy policy updates announcement gives the app greater access to user’s data, creating a major risk for businesses if employees are using it for internal communication. This solidifies the imperative for enterprises to implement a robust cybersecurity plan, which includes a secure communications tool like NetSfere.

According to the report, more than 74 percent of respondents to 451 Research’s recent informational security survey noted they are “somewhat (52%) or very concerned (22%) about the level of security in collaboration tools that remote workers are using.” The report goes on to note that tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams do still collect user’s data, although it looks different than how consumer grade apps do. However, NetSfere’s strict no data collection approach shines through as the strongest option.