The pandemic brought about a new normal for companies and businesses worldwide. Remote work, or as it’s preferably known to Canadians, “Telework,” increases every day. According to Statista, over 30% of Canadian workers in 2021 worked remotely. However, although working from home has numerous benefits, such as convenience, flexibility, and more, there are specific concerns about the security of remote workers from cyber-attacks and cybercriminals.
This is because businesses and individuals who operate remote work systems and are not properly secured are exposed to cybersecurity risks. This has raised many concerns about how best to address the security challenges of teleworking. There are several cybersecurity policies and measures that employers and employees can implement to tackle the network security concerns that come with remote working and ensure the safe working of their employees from their homes.
This article emphasizes the best ways businesses can address the biggest remote work security concerns. From the establishment of vulnerability management to the implementation of a cybersecurity framework, there are various cybersecurity approaches to tackle remote security issues.
Cybersecurity for remote workers requires constant vigilance from employees and employers. As a result, offering workers adequate work-from-home security tips and policies on being a secure remote worker is essential.
Implement a proactive vulnerability management program to identify and address potential security vulnerabilities. Conduct consistent vulnerability assessments to identify weak points in your remote work infrastructure. Promptly patch and remediate any discovered vulnerabilities to minimize the risk of exploitation by malicious actors.
By maintaining a vigilant approach to vulnerability management, organizations can significantly enhance their remote work security posture and stay one step ahead of potential threats.
Note: Please note that while establishing a robust vulnerability management program is essential in addressing remote work security issues, it is important to tailor its measures to your specific organizational needs and seek guidance from cybersecurity professionals.
Cybercriminals know that one of the easiest and uncomplicated ways to carry out their malicious action is through human actions and errors. When it comes to password protection systems, many employees use easy-to-guess passwords that cybercriminals can easily exploit.
Therefore, it is vital to constantly emphasize the importance of strong and complex passwords that are very hard to guess. Employ the service of password manager tools to keep passwords secure and reduce the probability of a forgotten password.
To add to the mix, implement MFA to fortify account security further. MFA requires multiple authentication factors to access and verify the user before access to the company’s system or data is given.
Adopt a Zero-Trust approach to remote work security, assuming no user or device can be inherently trusted. Implement strict access controls, user authentication, and continuous monitoring to validate and verify every access attempt. This framework ensures that users and devices are constantly authenticated and authorized before accessing sensitive resources or data.
Also, organizations can enlist an MDM (mobile device management) solution sent out to all remote workers’ devices. This provides employers with the ability to wipe a device with the company data in the event of it being stolen. Also, organizations can deploy user behaviour analytics to identify and understand a remote worker’s typical pattern of accessing enterprise systems and to flag suspicious activities that could indicate the worker’s credentials have been compromised.
By implementing a Zero-Trust model, organizations can minimize the risk of unauthorized access and strengthen overall remote work security.
Employers should ensure that all remote workers use the company’s storage server. This means company files are secured without compromise, and important documents are backed up as firewalls protect storage servers.
By adopting this approach, in the event of a company breach or loss of local files, you can greatly increase the likelihood of having a backup for crucial documentation. Moreover, this method enhances the security of essential documents, as they benefit from the protective firewall integrated within your centralized storage solution.
One important way to address the security issues associated with the remote work system is to fortify the home Wi-Fi security. Encourage the use of encrypted Wi-Fi networks and implement creating a unique password, rather than relying on the programmed password that came with your router, while ensuring you are running with the latest version of your firmware.
Teleworking means connecting to any internet connection, majorly public Wi-Fi. However, public Wi-Fi networks can be susceptible to eavesdropping and data interception, so using a virtual private network (VPN) when accessing sensitive information over public networks is essential.
Continuously encourage the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) to encrypt data transmitted between employees and company resources. VPNs create a secure tunnel, shielding information from potential eavesdropping or interception by unauthorized individuals.
Ensure that all remote work devices and applications are up-to-date or constantly updated with the most recent security patches. Using out-of-date software can have vulnerabilities that cybercriminals exploit. Enable automatic updates or implement a centralized system for managing updates across all devices.
Educate remote workers on the latest cybersecurity threats and the newest security measures for keeping the organization secure. Constant cybersecurity drills are essential for all remote workers to keep them abreast of the ever-changing security practices; it can also help reinforce the organization’s network security policies, providing the reasoning for these decisions and tips to abide by them.
Provide comprehensive training sessions to raise awareness about phishing attacks, social engineering tactics, and other cyber threats. Empower employees to identify and report suspicious activities promptly.
With the global rise in remote work, ensuring robust cybersecurity measures for remote workers has become a critical concern. Therefore, organizations involved in remote work systems must implement comprehensive security strategies that safeguard data wherever it travels, addressing the evolving challenges of the remote work landscape.
Contact us to get your business secured today.