The global pandemic has disrupted “business as normal”. Moving forward, companies are contemplating new strategies and deploying work-from-home employees is a solution that many firms find appealing.
Microsoft report that more than 70% of employees prefer working from home arrangements. A hybrid model seems to be a solution the vast majority of companies will opt for.
In theory, a hybrid workplace has a number of benefits for employers and employees. However, IT managers are not seeing any benefits. WFH employees present a higher risk to your cybersecurity defences.
IT security professionals note that remote workers are an easier target for hackers. As a matter of fact, employees are estimated to be responsible for around 90% of data breaches.
Not only that, but malicious actors have a wide range of strategies to infiltrate business networks. IT security risks are higher in the post-pandemic world than ever before.
Educate WFH Employees
Training your employees to identify potential cyberattacks will play a significant role in ensuring your cybersecurity is airtight. The majority of cybercrime activity is phishing attacks – which attempt to convince your employees to download a document infected with malicious code.
Hackers use sophisticated software that enables them to crack easy passwords. Strong passwords and two-factor identification should be the first line of your IT security whether you deploy remote working employees or not.
In addition to identifying potential threats to your network, your employees should know which steps to take if they find suspicious activity. Include cyberattacks as part of your business continuity planning and determine how to manage cyberattacks in your disaster recovery plan.
Invest in Remote Monitoring Services
Today’s advanced IT security tools include remote monitoring which detects suspicious behaviour in a business network. An effective IT security measure is to register your employees as users and give them access permission.
Registering employees involves listing the device they are using and the location they are logging in from – usually a city. If someone tries to log in from an unregistered device or location the account will be blocked and IT security will be notified.
Install A Virtual Desktop
Virtual desktops create a secure working environment that remote workers can access from anywhere and on any device. For example, Microsoft Virtual Desktop (MVD) is compatible with Android, Mac OS and iOS.
Installing a virtual desktop enables you to store data in a centralised location that is protected with advanced encryption methods and a password control system. They also perform automatic updates which remove the burden and the responsibility from employees.
Any software released into the market will eventually develop a vulnerability that can be exploited by hackers. Ordinarily, a patch management service would be required to troubleshoot the risk, but virtual desktops are updated by the provider.
Conclusion
No matter what the size of your business is, the risk of a data breach is real. And with employees accessing your business network from home computers and personal devices increase that risk.
Having said that, if you install the right security defences with effective technologies and educate your staff about malicious threats, you can prevent cyber criminals from infiltrating your IT network.