Remote work is no longer a new concept, and more and more people work this way daily. At the same time, a growing number of companies allow employees to work remotely. Some companies may completely rely on remote employees.
Even though this type of business operation carries many benefits, certain cybersecurity vulnerabilities go along with it. This is why it’s important to understand where the risks are coming from, as well as the steps you can take to prevent security breaches.
Unsecured Wi-Fi
Home Wi-Fi and public Wi-Fi can pose great risks if unsecured. A lot of remote employees like to work from coffee shops where they can use their Wi-Fi. However, most public connections are unsecured, making the traffic vulnerable. This means that someone can see a user’s credentials and intercept sensitive business data.
For home Wi-Fi, it’s generally a good idea to make it mandatory for employees to secure their networks as best as possible. However, when using public Wi-Fi, they should use a VPN to hide their data and make it difficult for someone to see the information they’re sending or receiving.
No Standardization
Having many different remote employees adds a lot of variety into the computing infrastructure of the whole company. Simply put, different users will use different devices, different software, operating systems, and brands. Managing and securing all these devices can often be difficult, and sometimes impossible.
Before remote employees, all companies had standardized business devices that were all set up and used in the same way. Today, however, with so many different devices on the same network, it can be difficult to recognize irregularities. The best solution for this is to simply implement standardization with remote employees if possible.
Use of Personal Devices
A lot of remote employees have other devices with them when they’re working. For example, if working from their home, many people use their laptops for work but also have a desktop computer. However, they sometimes decide to transfer data to their personal device.
This carries a lot of different risks. Data migration is often unsafe, other people might see the information, and personal devices might be infected with malware. Additionally, a lot of people use the same device for work and personal use, which increases security risks.
The best solution for this is to have a designated work device that will be used for professional purposes.
Irresponsible Use
No matter how good your security might be, if you make mistakes and do things you shouldn’t be doing, nothing can save you from online breaches. The same rule applies to employees at the office. However, remote employees tend to get too relaxed with how they are using their work devices at home or a cafe.
They surf online, do personal stuff, and pay no attention to who’s watching their screens. If someone sees or steals an employee’s login credentials, they could easily jeopardize the whole business. In this case, it’s generally a good idea to use a multi-factor authentication tool and a VPN.
No matter if you’re a remote employee or you have people working for you, pay attention to these things, and take the necessary steps to reduce the risks they pose. For additional cybersecurity assistance, reach out to Fulton May Solutions today!
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