How to Keep Your Business Secure With Employees’ Hybrid Work Schedule
COVID-19 security measures started with a 2-week lockdown but turned into 2 years of remote work and a very important shift in workplace culture. But when this shift to working from home started, it had to happen quickly! Many businesses didn’t have the time to implement reliable security strategies and instead moved to a break-then-fix model for their IT.
Now that many business owners and employees have worked through the kinks of remote work, many don’t want to go back. If you can believe it, 97% of respondents to this FlexJobs survey in 2021 said that they wanted some form of hybrid work schedule going forward.
Working from home is here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. And that means businesses need to do more to keep their data and devices secure from cybercrimes that pose a strong threat to businesses.
Cybersecurity: Threats to a Hybrid Work Schedule
Your business needs an experienced internal IT team or external provider that amongst many other tasks focuses on cyber threats. The consequence for your business during a cyber event could be catastrophic including work shutdown, extortion, and defamations. We, therefore, suggest that your business get a thorough consultation from a trusted managed service provider.
- Lack of Physical Security Controls
With at-home work, your employees might not have the same physical security controls in place that they do in the office. For example, they might not have a lock on their office door or might be working in a shared space, which leaves your data out in the open. - Poor Cyber Hygiene Habits
Even though you may ask them not to, it’s pretty tempting for employees to occasionally use their work devices for personal tasks, like checking their personal email or downloading non-work-related files. But, this can increase the risk of phishing attacks and all sorts of malware. - Using Unsecure Networks
When your employees work from home and can be flexible with their workspace, they might use unsecured networks, like public Wi-Fi. This goes without saying, but using a public Wi-Fi connection can cause serious problems because it provides a channel for cybercriminals to access company data. - Lack of IT Support
If your business had an in-house IT team before remote work, your employees probably don’t have the same easy access to IT support as they did in the office. Without easy access to your IT team, employees might come up against technical problems that impact productivity. - Insufficient Cybersecurity Policies
Without a consistent reminder from upper management and employee training, employees might not be using strong passwords or enabling two-factor authentication. This can put your business at risk because human error is responsible for over 90% of data breaches.
Remote Work Cybersecurity Practices
If you’ve been experiencing those risks or think they might be threatening your company, don’t worry! There are several remote work cybersecurity practices that you can implement to protect your business from cyber threats.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A VPN encrypts all traffic between your devices and the VPN server, making it more difficult for hackers to intercept your data.
Limit Personal Use of Company Devices
Make sure your employees know that company devices are for work only. This will reduce the likelihood of sensitive information being accessed or downloaded without authorization.
Zero Trust Policy
This means that all users, regardless of location, must be authenticated before they can access company data. By encouraging your employees to have a dedicated workspace and implementing security measures on their devices, like short lock screen timeouts and strong device passwords, you can better protect your sensitive information.
Prevent Unauthorized Logins
Remind your employees to use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication. This will make it more difficult for hackers to gain access to your accounts.
Email Best Practices
Strongly encourage your employees to use secure email practices, like using encrypted attachments and not responding to suspicious emails.
Employee Training
Make sure your employees are up-to-date on remote work cybersecurity best practices by providing regular training. This will help them be more aware of the risks and know how to protect themselves and the company’s data. You can find online programs or use the service of a managed IT provider.
Don’t let working from home become a loophole for hackers to bring your business to a screeching halt. By implementing these remote work cybersecurity practices, you can protect your business from cyber threats and criminals.
Secure Your Remote Workforce with Tekscape
Tekscape offers a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity solutions to help you secure your remote workforce. We offer everything from VPNs and firewalls to employee training and email security. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you keep your business safe.
