(Newswire.net — April 25, 2021) — When everyone made the quick change to remote work in early 2020, there wasn’t a lot of time to think about the ramifications of the switch. As long as everyone had a workstation and was able to stay productive, nobody seemed to mind much.
As we move to soft reopenings and hybrid work models, it’s time to give one very important topic the attention it needs: remote work cybersecurity.
Risks to your company’s most sensitive data didn’t disappear once we started working from home. If anything, the pandemic has shown many of the holes companies have in their cybersecurity plans as crime numbers increase.
If you want to make remote work security a priority, you’re in luck. Here are the biggest cybercrime threats companies face.
Insecure Wi-Fi
Your company most likely uses a firewall for in-office internet, and unfortunately, that protection leaves as soon as people exit the office. You employees may have passwords for their wi-fi networks, but that doesn’t mean that their internet connection is secure.
Tell your employees to make sure that their router security is up to date. They may be accepting updates to certain browsers on their phones or on desktops, but their router still needs plenty of attention.
If you have certain employees that work with sensitive data, consider giving them firewall protection. The small investment your company puts into it could save you from bigger problems down the road. Talk to your IT team about your best remote firewall options.
Phishing
Phishing techniques have gotten a lot more sophisticated. It’s very easy for hackers to mirror certain email addresses and even easier for them to trick employees with fake security updates.
The best way to combat phishing is to educate your workers. Give them a list of trusted companies they should expect emails from. Let them know when you plan on doing security updates so they can’t get tricked by fake emails.
Insecure Cloud Networks
Cloud computing has saved companies a lot of money in data storage and software. Your cloud may make remote work much easier, but it also leaves your company open to vulnerabilities.
You can find more information about the most secure cloud networks, but cloud security typically starts with having the right security settings.
We may have been working remotely for over a year now, but have your IT team check everyone’s sharing settings. Coach everyone on the benefits of encryption to ensure that they’re doing everything possible to keep sensitive data safe.
Bad Passwords
If your employees have had to use a lot of new software to make remote work possible, you could be vulnerable to being hacked because of bad passwords.
Some people know that it’s not a good idea to use things that are easy to look up like birthdays, street names, or anniversaries as passwords. However, making passwords that are too difficult to remember can be a security risk on its own.
Consider using a password manager tool so employees can store passwords. These tools often come with great secure password generators that can help come up with difficult-to-guess passwords as well.
Remote Work Cyber Security Is Possible
You may not be able to have as much oversight as you’d like when employees work from home, but you can attain a reasonable level of remote work cybersecurity. If you take the time to educate your employees on best practices and use up-to-date tools, your organization will be much safer than it was before.
Do you need more help as you prepare for the big return to the office? We have a lot of tips for managers and employees. Be sure to browse all of our professional content so you can find the answers you need.