The convenience of working from remote locations has made remote working more popular than ever. Between national emergencies and local circumstances, the push to work from home is strong, so the push to do it safely must be strong as well. Cybersecurity and other types of data security and IT solutions are vital to today’s working style.
Unsecure Wi-Fi
When workers work from the office, they use your computer network secured by the office’s secure Wi-Fi. However, when out of the office, it’s anyone’s guess. They could be using their home Wi-Fi network, and this may or may not be secure. They may also be working from public places like cafes, and this includes using public Wi-Fi that is often loosely secured and easily hacked. It’s important for workers to know that the Wi-Fi network they use for work tasks makes a big difference in the security of the company as a whole.
Personal Devices
Part of the cost savings of having workers work remotely is that they can provide their own devices. They can use their own cell phones, tablets, laptops, etc. However, this means that the company has no control over the security of those devices. If there is a virus on a home computer, it could spell disaster for a worker who uses that to input company data. Employees should be trained in how to keep their devices secure and how to know when a device may have been compromised by malware or other security problems.
Physical Security for Devices
It isn’t just the virtual world that can pose a problem to devices and company data. There are many ways that the data on a device can be accessed through physical means. If devices are left around haphazardly, for example, they may be stolen and the data on them breached. It is also easy to leave sensitive data on a screen for other people around the worker to see and take notice of. It may not even be the screens that cause the problem. If a worker calls to check in and talks about sensitive data over the phone, that conversation can be easily intercepted.
