In the past two years, the pandemic has dramatically reshaped our understanding of work – not merely what it constitutes, but also how and where it’s supposed to get done. As employers have sought to balance the demands and necessities of the workplace with the health and well-being of their workers, more and more companies have shifted to a remote-work approach, allowing many employees to fulfill their responsibilities from the comfort of home.
While the work-from-home (WFH) model has helped to sustain businesses throughout the pandemic - and will, undoubtedly, even beyond - it brings to the forefront unique cybersecurity concerns that are worth our consideration. While the flexibility and mobility that WFH allows is wonderful, the risk that it poses is significant, if not managed proactively and continually.
Below are five straightforward steps to ensure that you and your organization are remaining cyber-safe in this new era of WFH:
Devise a clear protocol
Make sure that your company has a standardized and accessible cybersecurity policy in place. More often than not, data breaches occur when employees’ guards are down. Shortcuts that are taken for the sake of convenience can become security vulnerabilities. Encourage your employees to select and safely store strong passwords, and explicitly indicate how information is to be shared online.
Shore up your network security
Using unsecured Wi-Fi subjects you and your organization to greater risk of infiltration. But when working from home, most remote workers only have standard internet service, which does not offer the same level of protection that a secured network does. A common and cost-effective solution to this problem is to incorporate Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which ensure that workers at home are able to communicate sensitive information safely with your organization’s network.
Manage passwords wisely
Virtually every platform that we use nowadays requires credentials of some kind. Because of this, we run into two dangers: first, because of the sheer volume of accounts, employees use very basic and easy-to-decipher passwords, exposing multiple accounts to the risk of a breach; and second, employees store their passwords in an insecure manner, again heightening the risk of exposure. Password Managers help to remedy this issue by granting access to multiple programs through a single combination of credentials, making memorization easier.
Incorporate Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
A single password, however unique and complex, can only go so far in protecting employees’ accounts. Consider adding MFA as a way to bolster your company’s security even more. MFA requires multiple modes of verification – for instance, a password along with a temporary code that has been sent to a second, verified device – so it greatly reduces the likelihood of a successful breach.
Keep things up to date
Make sure that any security software that you utilize is kept up to speed with the latest updates. In the world of cyber-crime, things evolve very quickly, forcing organizations to stay on their toes and remain ever-vigilant. It’s often in that narrow margin between out-of-date and up-to-date that hackers are able to gain access to sensitive information.
More than ever before, cybersecurity is a top priority for individuals and organizations alike. In this emerging world of widespread remote work and constant electronic communication, be sure to invest adequately in protections and to innovate as needed to stay ahead of bad actors. The steps above offer a practical start toward greater cyber-safety as you work from home!
