Securing Remote Work: Best Practices for Protecting Your Remote Employees

Gone are the days when work was confined to drab offices and traditional nine-to-five work schedules. Thanks to technological advancements, remote work is the new norm, with about 44% of the UK’s labor force working remotely as of 2023.

While there are clear advantages to fully remote and hybrid work setups, they expose businesses to a host of unique security vulnerabilities. Remote work significantly increases the risk of data breaches, emphasising the need to create robust policies and strategies to mitigate this risk.

Today, we’ll highlight some of the best practices to protect your remote workers from data breaches and other cybersecurity threats.

Don’t Neglect the Basics

Firewalls and anti-malware software are an absolute must for all remote employees. Prioritise installing these essential security measures on all remote worker devices. Firewalls and anti-malware software act as crucial barriers against malicious attacks. They help prevent unauthorised access to sensitive data.

Moreover, consider migrating all your essential business applications to the cloud. Third-party cloud providers implement solid safety protocols to guarantee your company’s data security. Plus, they enhance the functionality of your native apps by enabling seamless collaboration and access to data from anywhere.

Create a Remote Work Security Policy

You’ll also have to adjust your current data security policy to accommodate remote workers. This entails creating a new data security policy that specifically applies to these workers. To be effective, the policy must contain:

• Security awareness training
• Access control
• Network security
• Device management
• Data backup and recovery

Be sure to talk to your remote workers about the importance of the security policy as well as the consequences of non-compliance. It’s also a good idea to consult your  IT admins so they can help draft a policy that covers all critical pain points.

Ensure Adequate Employee Training

Untrained employees are the weakest link in any cybersecurity protection chain. Ensure you adequately train your employees on the best ways to safeguard themselves and their data from online threats.

Proper training encompasses cybersecurity awareness with sessions on how to recognize phishing emails and other forms of social engineering attacks. Training sessions could also delve into secure communication practices and data security. Don’t forget to liaise with your IT team to help your remote workers with security-related concerns.

Implement Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a cybersecurity measure that utilises more than two identification factors to authorise access to IT systems and infrastructure. It’s a massive leap from conventional passwords that hackers can easily exploit and gain access to your sensitive data.

With MFA, you can add extra layers of protection to your data and infrastructure. Besides their passwords and credentials, remote employees must also provide fingerprints, one-time codes (sent to their phones/emails), and scan their smart cards to access their accounts.

Utilise Encryption Software

Encryption software scrambles data in storage or transit so that hackers get a jumbled up and non-usable form of the data when they access or intercept it. This software is especially useful when sending data over unsecured networks.

The sender will transmit encrypted data over the network, and the receiver will decrypt it using a corresponding decryption key. Any bad actor who intercepts the data will only find encrypted gibberish. The same applies to hackers who gain unauthorised access to encrypted data stores. Without a decryption key, the data remains secure and incomprehensible.

Regularly Update Your Software

You’d be surprised how quickly hackers can exploit vulnerabilities and loopholes in outdated software. Every time you ignore that software update, you put your digital assets at risk.

These updates might seem like a waste of time when everything works fine, but they usually contain security patches and fixes to address emerging threats. Regular software updates are your best bet for staying alive to these emerging threats and keeping your systems safe.

Secure Wireless Connections

Restricting public Wi-Fi networks while working remotely might seem like a stretch, and it is. While it’s all in good faith, this policy makes it impossible for your employees to work in their favourite cafes or restaurants where they feel most comfortable and productive.

A better alternative would be to ensure all remote workers use the company’s VPN when accessing company resources via an external network. That way, they get a secure tunnel for data transmission and protection from potential interception.

Secure Remote Work With ICT Solutions

Data security in remote work might be a tough nut to crack, but it’s not impossible. It’s perfectly fine to struggle initially, but remember to start with basics like strong passwords, anti-virus software, and firewalls before moving to the complex stuff. Plus, remember you can always get help from qualified experts to ensure maximum protection from malicious attacks. Do you need assistance protecting your remote workers from external threats? If so, contact us today; we’ll help make your remote work arrangements as steadfast as they can be.