In the near-panic of recent months bringing with it sweeping changes to our working lives, it’s quite possible many businesses threw the handbook out of the window as they tried to rapidly adjust to changing market conditions. But sadly, the rules never changed along with you. As the dust settles, we’re all starting to notice the cracks in the security armour of many businesses large and small. Remote working security concerns are real and shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Legislation and regulations around data security, privacy and remote access are still very much in effect. So, perhaps you’ll find this refresher on remote working security a helpful reminder of the risks and your legal requirements. If you need help with implementing any changes to bring your organisation back into compliance, we’re just a click away.

Data Leakage

With an increased possibility of unrestricted printing and USB access, there’s a greater risk of your valuable customer data and IP walking away. It might be unintentional, but an unlocked device just invites lax IT security issues. Ensure all of your devices have the same security features both on and offsite.

Open Access

Just because someone is an employee, doesn’t mean they need unrestricted access to your entire infrastructure. Evaluate the access levels of all employees, especially during this time of scope creep, to ensure you have matched their level of responsibility to the partitions they can access.

Remote Access

Your infrastructure may just fall over with too many people trying to access the network at the same time. This can be especially troubling in a cloud-based organisation where some frustrated workers may result in downloading and working on local copies of documents; increasing the security risks.

Confidentiality Concerns

You can never be certain just who is around any remote PC. From family members to the general public, data protection measures such a dual authentication, privacy screens and lock screen can’t be overlooked. Equip your teams with the right tools and training to keep your confidential data safe and adhere to GDPR guidelines.

Personal Devices

With less oversight or poor planning, many remote workers may be using personal devices to access company documents. This could be their personal laptops or mobile phones. Personal devices are far less secure than their corporate counterparts, making this situation a hacker’s dream.

Addressing Concerns

We highly recommend companies audit their existing remote working policies and procedures as soon as possible. If you don’t have any, don’t delay. Have a disaster recovery plan and practice it! Know what you will do if the worst happens and how much downtime to expect. 

Contact a trusted provider like IT Assist to advise you on the steps you need to take to regain control of your data. Keep a close eye on IT behaviours and data traffic and take quick action to address any worrying trends when it comes to your security. Lastly, train your team to take IT Security seriously by making them accountable for their IT habits.

Do these things and you’ll soon be back to smooth running in no time.