In previous blogs, we explored why the transition to remote working is not only a good idea, but also essential to the future of your organization, we explored how to ensure collaboration and communication when working out of the normal work setting with the help of the right tools. In the following article we will cover another serious concern for employers nationally; how to ensure that sensitive data is secure when working remotely.
The first step on the road to cyber security is by establishing a policy for your employees to abide by. As unbelievable as it is in the modern technological age, there are still business owners out there that don’t understand the importance of data security or just how much of a concern it should be.
One way to ensure a good foundation of security when working remotely is a policy document. A policy document is a formal, legally binding document outlining responsibilities of the employer and employee, in this case regarding protocols surrounding cyber security. The document must state why the policy exists at all as well as details outlining all the security protocols employees are expected to comply with, what the company will do to support them in compliance with the policy, and a place for a signature from the employee and employer. A policy for your entire team – remote working or not – will offer the peace of mind that everyone is on the same page and knows what the expectations of the organization are.
Another way to ensure a good level of security when working remotely is to make sure all internet connections are secure. An unsecured wi-fi network is one of the most common ways to open your company up to a data security breach. The last thing you want to do is forbid employees from working where they feel most energized and motivated, but in order to earn this freedom they must have the knowledge and tools to make sure they can keep the company data secure. Requiring employees to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) before signing on to public WI-FI networks will encrypt the internet traffic of the remote worker and monitor for any signs of infection.
Access control is a large part of our daily lives, whether it be when locking doors before we go out, or not letting the kids in the sweet cupboard. Yet somehow many overlook basic access control when it comes to cyber security. We all use passwords everyday as a relatively easy way to protect your data. You must teach your staff how to make passwords strong and why it is important to use a different password at every opportunity. You can mitigate the risk of data theft and loss further by using a password manager, it will randomly generate passwords for you and provides a safe place to store them too. Doing this will stop your employees forgetting their passwords for all the different programs they may use whilst keeping data secure and uncompromised.
Another way to ensure security is by using two-factor authentication, the method confirms identity by username, password, and another piece of information, that can be a secret question or more commonly a PIN sent to a mobile device. Passwords are hacked too often nowadays, with two-factor authentication you have a much lower chance of an attempted breach being a success, it lowers the chances because the probability of someone having the answer to your secret question is highly unlikely, and if you have the PIN sent to your mobile device, they stand literally no chance of getting it.
If you really want to be certain of the safety of your system you could use multi-factor authentication. They use fingerprint, voice, or retina recognition systems to ensure the safety of your system – they are far more expensive but depending on the sensitivity of your data this could be necessary.
Using these security tips correctly will allow you to adopt a modern remote working team whilst maintaining the levels of cyber security you enjoy on-premise.
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By trusting us with your IT needs we can guarantee that your organization is ready to succeed in the modern digital workplace. Our experience in working with small businesses in Ontario and the Great Toronto Area allows us to ensure that you can increase revenue, secure your data, and always operate at peak performance in the most secure way possible. You will also be able to communicate with your clients, colleagues, and suppliers alike. All these abilities can be achieved at the very highest standard. Contact us now to find out what else we can do to improve your IT landscape and bring you even more benefits from your IT going forward.