cybersecurity
Remote work has been normalized in recent years, and now most businesses have employees working at least as part of a hybrid work model. This makes a lot of sense because remote work is mutually beneficial and can help to keep employees happy, but you also need to be aware that remote work can create cybersecurity vulnerabilities. With an increasing number of business activities taking place online, this has led to a sharp rise in cyber attacks. Cybercrime can be devastating for any business, which is why it is important to be aware of a few cybersecurity tips for businesses with remote workers.
Establish Policies & Guidelines
First, you should create policies and guidelines for your remote workers. This should include cybersecurity best practices and rules surrounding the usage of company devices, password rules, and the usage of public Wi-Fi networks. You also need to encourage staff to come forward if they have any questions or concerns relating to working safely.
Educate Staff On Common Scams
Following on from this, it is also important that you educate your staff on common cyber scams. Most attacks are successful due to human error, so it is important to provide training for your team so that they can spot scams like phishing. Keep in mind that scams are becoming increasingly advanced, so you will need to provide ongoing training to keep your staff safe in the long term.
Require Strong Passwords
When it comes to online accounts and services, you need to make sure that your team uses strong passwords. Cyberattacks are often successful due to a hacker guessing or working out a password, so it is important that random and complex passwords are used (a password manager can be used to manage these passwords). Additionally, multi-factor authentication should be used for an added layer of protection.
Use Identity & Access Management
It is also important to consider access rights, as this can be a major vulnerability. If your entire team has access to all online resources and data, you are putting these at unnecessary risk. Instead, you should limit the attack surface by ensuring that staff only have access to the data and resources needed for their role. This can be achieved with the use of identity and access management, which can enhance overall security. In addition to this, identity and access management can also help an organization maintain compliance.
Encourage Regular Back Ups
It is also a good idea to encourage your remote workers to regularly back up their data externally. This is important from a cybersecurity standpoint and can protect against ransomware attacks, which are on the rise. Backups can also be helpful in terms of business continuity and meaning that you do not have to worry about any kind of data loss.
Remote work can be beneficial for all parties, but you need to be aware that it can create cybersecurity vulnerabilities that need to be addressed. These tips should help you to strengthen your cybersecurity defense and keep your remote workers secure.
