Remote working has become part of a hybrid operational model for many businesses today. It has a lot of benefits, for employers and for staff, but it does also present some security challenges. Whether it’s an unsecured Wi-Fi connection or an employee who doesn’t quite understand how to protect themselves against some of the biggest cyber security risks, there are lots of ways in which remote working can be a security problem – these are the top 5 remote working security challenges to be mindful of.
These challenges can be managed through a trusted remote IT solutions provider such as SADS IT.
- Poor data security – Even during the pandemic – and any remote working situation – the GDPR, has and will, still apply and there is no exception for employees who aren’t in the office. As a result, businesses need to ensure that they have measures in place to remain in control over employees’ data security. A robust remote working policy should incorporate measures to enable this, from access control to where the vulnerabilities are.
- Bad habits with passwords – Believe it or not, “123456” and other very guessable passwords are still very popular, especially where people already have a lot of different passwords to remember. This can be a huge vulnerability and a big security challenge as a guessable password is like an open door to hackers. One option is to choose a passphrase instead of a password – five random words strung together that are more difficult to guess. Regularly changing passwords and keeping them secure is also vital.
- Phishing – One survey recently found that two-thirds of companies that took part in the survey had been the target of a phishing attack. And of those companies, half had been infected with malware as a result. Phishing can be incredibly clever and manipulative and look very realistic, which is why so many people fall for it. Humans are often the weakest link in the chain when it comes to IT security and that’s exactly what phishing taps into. However, it’s possible to train your staff to be more aware of potential phishing emails so that they know what to look for and what phishing email language sounds like. This training should be done on a regular basis with plenty of reminders in between sessions.
- Home devices that are not secure – Most people don’t have access to the VPNs and single sign-on solutions with encrypted tokens that many businesses use and this can be a big security challenge. However, it can be worth investing in VPNs for remote workers, as these provide secure connections between devices. Any device on a network in the home can be hacked, including a printer. So, it’s vital that staff are aware of what the risks are and what to look for.
- Unencrypted data – Data in transit between systems is vulnerable, including when it comes to third-party cloud file-sharing services and email solutions. There are a lot of options out there for ensuring that data in transit is protected by encryption and this can significantly reduce security challenges as a result.
If your business is using remote IT solutions these are some of the biggest challenges to look out for. We help businesses across London and the South East protect themselves from cyber security threats by providing remote IT solutions. We can also guide you through the processes to getting your Cyber Essentials Accreditations. Our team would love to hear from you, contact us now!
