Almost all businesses deemed ‘non-essential’ and with the ability to work from home, were forced to, at short notice at the end of March 2020 due to Covid-19.
This was a first for many businesses who were more accustomed to having their entire workforce working from central premises, and they had to act quickly to make arrangements for a home set up.
In this haste, in some cases cyber security may have been overlooked. Working from home brings increased risks and additional challenges to businesses, who to some extent have lost the control of their IT set up.
Many businesses have reaped the benefits financially of home working teams, and for some this will become the new norm. So how can you minimise the risks to your business?
- Businesses who are still working from an on-site main server connecting remotely – this leaves a gap in the business firewall for remote workers. It is recommended that you use an encrypted VPN tunnel to increase security.
- Ensure your remote team use strong-complex passwords and change them regularly.
- Add as many security layers and Multi-Factor authentication steps as viably possible to limit risk exposure. Multi-factor authentication sends the user a pin or prompt to their mobile phone before they can access requested information.
- Where data is stored and accessed via the cloud, strong-complex passwords and Multi-factor authentication is a must.
- If your remote workers are using company devices in their own homes, there is an increased risk of theft. You should password protect the device and encrypt the contents of the device to prevent access to company data in this situation.
- If staff are using their own devices, ensure it is compliant with business best practices. As a minimum, the device should have antivirus software installed.
Smart Computers can give you information and advice on the most comprehensive protection against Ransomware and Malware threats through our partnership with ESET.
We also provide protection through Office 365 security and backup packages.
Our expert technical team are available to provide the very latest support and advice to help you make an informed decision for your home working teams.
