Are you one of the 77% of businesses with remote employees as part of your workforce? If so, have you ensured the security of your computer network and data? Bad actors know that many of the security measures you have in place at the office: firewalls, secure wi-fi, and restricted physical access to a computer, all disappear when your staff is working from home, in the field or community, or otherwise off-site. Here are three critical remote work practices.
Always on VPN for computer, tablet, and mobile devices. Utilizing a VPN allows everyone working remotely to securely log into the shared company network, while providing data protection for projects and files. Since a VPN is encrypted and remotely hosted, you can log in from anywhere without the risk of a security breach. VPNs also offer access control options, so that confidential information is not accessible by every employee.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). Even the strongest passwords are vulnerable to theft or exposure. When employees are not working in your office, you don’t have the luxury of assuming that devices are with their owners. Requiring more than one method to authenticate user identity or access permissions can reduce or eliminate the risk of stolen or unauthorized credentials being used to access devices and your network.
Set computers, laptops, tablets, and any other devices to lock automatically. Remote workers may not be working from the privacy of their homes. If your employees are working while traveling, from coffee or repair shops, or any other unsecured location, walking away from their devices leaves them vulnerable to malicious access.
The many benefits of allowing remote work outweigh security concerns as long as you plan for and train your staff on protection measures. These three critical cybersecurity measures along with regular security awareness training will help your employees thrive in remote work models without adding cybersecurity exposure to your business. We can help make sure your entire workforce, regardless of working location, has the tools necessary to protect your company’s network and data. Get started with a FREE risk assessment.
