Remote working has several benefits for both employees and employers, but it also brings different challenges. One of these challenges is ensuring cybersecurity. In order to be able to work in the safest way while working from outside the office, it is necessary to apply the best practices of cyber security work from home.
As employees view sensitive documents and confidential data, keeping their computers and logins secure is essential for companies that have a remote work policy. According to research, in 2021, 32 percent of respondents currently working at least partially outside of the office indicated that their company has a 100 percent remote work policy.
In the remote working system, not paying attention to the security risks of the companies can cause the employees not only to risk their own confidential information but also to violate the security of the companies they work for. As more companies move to remote work, IT departments are trying to get employees to adopt best practices to ensure security. However, it is not enough to adopt, and it is necessary to know how to maintain security.
What Are the Security Practices To Maintain Security in Remote Working?
There are many cyber risks that can occur when adopting remote work systems. These risks threaten the working individuals and, therefore, the companies where they work.
Cyber security is not limited to the tools you use, and it is the set of actions taken to prevent possible cyber risks. Here are the key security practices that are important in the field of cyber security:
Get a Business VPN
There are many reasons for remote workers to use business VPNs. The biggest benefit of a VPN is that it encrypts internet connections regardless of the network they use. No matter where you’re connecting from, VPN encryption provides an additional layer of security against malware and hacking attempts.
The use of business VPN is included in the local networks of companies. It is confidential and forms the foundation of the security risk management process. The VPN server you will use must have passed the speed and ping control, be constantly accessible, have a structure that balances the user load, and the server must not be blacklisted, and its IPs must be of high quality.
Ensure equipment security
In some cases, companies may want employees to use personal computers for business purposes due to a lack of equipment. However, they create a big gap in providing cyber security since personal computers do not have the same systems as office computers.
Lack of equipment will make the company vulnerable to both internal and external attacks. It is necessary to ensure that the security software is installed on the equipment used for remote work systems, that up-to-date software is used, and that there is no malicious software. Since using a personal device for work can be extremely risky, you should use separate devices for work.
Manage authorization
In remote working systems, the employees should be authorized only as much as they will need for their duties, in accordance with the principle of “least privileged access.” Unnecessary access privileges on critical and confidential data should be restricted.
The network connections at home may not have the same security measures as in the company. Therefore, it is of great importance that all information is encrypted with a VPN and that the use of a VPN is mandatory. Unauthorized access to the network can be prevented by using two-factor authentication (2FA) for all employee authentication processes.
Use two-factor authentication
One of the best ways to protect your information is to verify your identity every time you log into a website. When you try to sign in to an account with two-factor authentication, you are usually asked to verify your identity with a one-time code sent to your secondary email address or phone number.
After entering this code, your identity will be verified, and you can log in to your account. Using multi-factor authentication using an additional piece of externally stored information provides an extra layer of security to prevent potential attacks.
Install an anti-virus software
Anti-virus software is quite important to keep computers and data safe. But anti-virus technology is only one layer of malware protection. For added security, it is necessary to check if the anti-virus software used by your company includes a software firewall. A software firewall helps keep the computer more secure, whether the user is at their desk in the office or at home.
The biggest advantage of using a software firewall when working from home is that it ensures that its settings and security measures remain unchanged no matter where the computer is. So using a software firewall helps keep things safe regardless of location.
Train your employees
Employees should be made aware of confidentiality in depth. As in any case, all employees working remotely should be given cyber security awareness training. In addition, for all the measures taken to continue to function, measures should be taken against a possible error.
To ensure the highest level of security, regular training should be given to employees in all departments so that they have security skills. It should not be forgotten that the best defense against cyber attacks is to be aware of the risks and to take the necessary precautions.
Conclusion
As digitalization has increased in many areas due to the Covid-19 pandemic, companies have switched to remote working. Since the number of companies adopting remote working is increasing day by day, it is more important than ever for employees to know how to keep their tools, data, documents, devices, and more secure.
Security vulnerabilities may arise while working remotely. These vulnerabilities increase potential security risks and can have dire consequences. Preventing or minimizing potential risks and damage that may occur in the event of an attack can eliminate a great disaster. Implementing various cybersecurity practices can have excellent effects on making security sustainable in the remote working model.
