Are Your Remote Workers Keeping Your Data Safe?

The modern-day workplace is changing. No longer are we bound by our offices: in fact, the number of remote workers has increased by a staggering 159% since 2005.

With this new shift in work culture, we are placing more trust in mobile devices. Of course, that opens us up to a whole new world of threats, from rogue wi-fi connections to hacking.

How should you make sure that you safeguard your data, remote workers and business?

 

Review Your Access

Many companies may work on a VPN or allow access to internal server files from remote devices.

It is your responsibility to monitor who can access what files and from which destination. For example, you may not be aware that an employee is accessing data in a public wi-fi zone.

 

State Your Remote Working Policies Clearly

Your company handbook should outline the intricacies of accessing company data outside of the workplace.

It should address what kind of data can be managed, what file sharing platforms are allowed, and how people can ensure that data is not mismanaged (for example, viewing sensitive files in public).

 

Assess Your Vulnerability to Threats

While every business is liable to security threats, some may be more at risk than others. For example, some industries may be more vulnerable to state-sponsored attacks, such as the telecoms or energy sectors – anything that could compromise critical infrastructure.

Similarly, if your data has significant financial value, you could be susceptible to organised cybercrime.

In this instance, it is advisable to discourage remote file access, or only allow employees to use approved devices and login procedures.

 

Educate Your Teams on Device Use

One of the key considerations with cybersecurity is to continually review your best practices.

At NexusProtect, we offer strategic reviews at periodic intervals to assess vulnerabilities in your infrastructure. For example, if you’ve just bought new tech, you should keep an eye out for security updates or news of any potential threats affecting the manufacturer.

Similarly, remote wi-fi hotspots can pose a significant threat. Your employees need to be aware of best practices when accessing data in public.

Nowadays, we’re facing the threat of ‘rogue wi-fi hotspots’ – set up by hackers to steal user data – so we should never access a connection that does not require at least base-level authentication.

 

Review Your Exit Policies

For whatever reason, employees do not always leave their job happily. This poses a potential risk to employers, particularly if they have access to data and accounts which they could expose, steal, or talk about disparagingly in public.

According to a report by Egress, directors are most likely to take data with them when starting a new job. A staggering 68% said they took it deliberately, while the average for all job roles is 46%.

This could be intellectual property or key client data, so make sure your employment contracts have strict rules about the transfer of data after termination.

 

Install the Right Security Software

Finally, your security software should always match the level of threat your business faces.

At the highest level, this may mean you have to impose limits on the devices which can access company data remotely, or restrict the number of users.

At NexusProtect, we can advise you on the most robust software and the industry best practices for protecting your business, remote workers and data. Contact us to discover more.