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Managing Security With Remote Workers

Remote working is increasing rapidly. Staff who are travelling for business, working at home or commuting still want access to the same information they can receive while in their workplace. The increase of remote working undeniably helps organisations as well as assisting remote workers to stay in the loop and be efficient.

With remote working, staff can be more productive, there is a contingency plan in place and data can be shared with ease. However, with the increase in remote working comes an increased risk of security breaches. Those who are accessing work data inappropriately could be breaching the security and confidentiality of the business. For the organisation, particularly with GDPR in place, it is essential to manage and bolster security systems, so that remote working does not leave your business vulnerable.

Why is managing remote working important?

With employees that are keen to access work information outside of the workplace shows a commitment and conscientiousness to your organisation. However, many employees do not realise the risk they pose to the security of your business.

Recent studies have shown that almost a quarter of employees would use free WiFi hotspots to access their work emails. As well as this, 28% of employees will email work documents to and from their personal email address. Many employees do not realise that unsecured connections such as WiFi hotspots can pose a significant threat to cybersecurity, with cybercriminals being able to access information on low-security connections.

Fortunately, there are several ways that organisations can reduce the risk and help to manage security with remote workers.

How you can manage security with remote workers

Strong passwords

Having a secure password can give protection from hackers and more peace of mind if a device is lost or stolen. Organisations can implement password requirements such as having a minimum number of characters as well as asking for multi-characters. Organisations can also ask employees to have different passwords for different systems as well as imposing a two-step log-in process.

Create public WiFi guidelines

It is not always feasible for remote workers to connect to trusted networks, particularly when travelling or staying in a hotel. However, you can create a cybersecurity policy which explains how to use public WiFi with the most care. It is wise to define what systems they can access and which they need to refrain from when using a potentially unsecured network.

Mobile device management

As well as securing mobile devices with passwords, it is also essential to help boost your security if laptops or mobiles are lost or stolen. Utilising mobile device management software or applications can help your business to track lost or stolen devices as well as implementing additional security to protect business assets on the device.

Use the cloud

Hosted cloud desktop providers will use data encryption technology to transport data throughout the company intranet. If employees log in to your system using a cloud-based virtual desktop, there will be added encryption for confidential information between the remote worker and the business. Providers of cloud-based hosted desktops will typically have a range of security certification for additional peace of mind.

Monitoring

Your business can take advantage of 24/7 monitoring of your security systems which can help to quickly identify a threat and help you to prevent or reduce the issue rapidly. 24/7 monitoring will also help your business with future security planning as you can start to uncover common problems that your business faces. Using monitoring to protect your network will include analysing all remote workers as well as all of the mobile devices in your organisation.

Training

Many employees do not receive robust cybersecurity training that includes remote working. Staff should regularly receive cybersecurity training that helps them to understand the risk and how specific actions such as using public WiFi and public computers can threaten security. Using monitoring alongside training can help you to enforce your cybersecurity policies and make it easier to focus the training on specific issues that threaten your business.

Email encryption

As emails are one of the most popular technologies for remote workers, one of easiest ways to improve your organisation’s security is by using email encryption applications. Investing in the management of corporate email and using the safest technologies for email is essential for many businesses who use email without even thinking about its vulnerabilities.

If you need help securing your IT for remote workers, call us today so we can help you plan and implement a robust cybersecurity strategy.

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