There is a new army of workers on the horizon, employees suddenly freed from their cubicles and now working from the comfort of their own homes. These home-based workers represent a true paradigm shift for the corporate world, and they carry the potential for enormous cost savings down the road.
The circumstances surrounding this work at home experiment may be unusual, but if all goes well the shift to telecommuting could change the face of work forever. These newly freed cubicle dwellers may be reluctant to go back to the office, and employers may find that having a largely remote workforce will save them money, greatly reduce their overhead and allow them to operate in a leaner and more nimble manner.
While the shift toward telecommuting can be good for business, the environment, and the world at large, it is not without its challenges. Some firms have been building out their remote workforces for years now, but others are brand new at this brave new world.
For those businesses, managing that brand new army of telecommuters could prove to be a difficult task. And beyond the management task is the challenge involved with embracing the future of IT security that includes the security risks that will strain the organization’s IT resources to their limits.
Understanding the Future of IT Security Challenges
Sending office workers home and letting them telecommute can provide enormous benefits for businesses of all sizes, including lower rental costs and reduced overhead. But for IT security experts, a remote workforce represents a brand new challenge, one that businesses need to take seriously.
Before businesses can manage their new telecommuters effectively, they first need to recognize the unique IT security risks these home-based workers bring with them. Here are some of the significant risks new (and old) telecommuters face.
- Targeted phishing attacks – The newfound embrace of telecommuting has not escaped the attention of the hacking community; criminals have recognized the enormous opportunity they now enjoy, crafting highly targeted phishing attacks aimed squarely at those brand new home-based workers.
- A wide variety of infrastructures – For IT managers used to single top-down network infrastructure, managing a remote workforce can be a nightmare. Every home network is unique, with different pieces of hardware, different levels of support and differing levels of risk.
- Unsecured and poorly secured Wi-Fi networks – Telecommuters rely on their Wi-Fi networks to connect to the corporate network, share files and stay productive, but the security of those home Wi-Fi resources is often lacking. IT managers must find ways to build cyber security into their connections, no matter what types of networks their new telecommuters are using.
- The use of personal devices – Workers who are suddenly asked to work from home may have no choice but to use their personal desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones, and that can create its own set of security risks. Personal devices will likely lack the built-in security and strict access policies corporate computers rely on to keep their networks and their data safe.
These risks are all too real, and these are issues IT managers, business executives and others will continue to wrestle with. As workers leave their cubicles and revel in their newfound freedom, it may be hard to put the telecommuting genie back in the corporate bottle. In the end, managers may have little choice but to embrace the remote work revolution – and enjoy the cost savings it can provide. Here are some tips the corporate world can use to keep their telecommuters safe and prevent a new rash of cybercrime.
IT Security Tips for Managers and Telecommuters
The cyber security risks remote workers face are all too real, and protection requires a multifaceted and proactive approach. In order to prevent cybercrime and the loss of sensitive data, everyone must work together, from the executives in the corner offices to the hardworking IT managers, to the telecommuters themselves.
As we look to the future of IT security, here are some tips to enhance cyber security and keep remote workers safe.
- Require the use of a VPN for corporate network access – A virtual private network, or VPN, establishes a secure tunnel between the home network and the corporate network, greatly reducing the risks telecommuters face
- Audit home Wi-Fi routers and provide security upgrades – Unsecured or poorly secured Wi-Fi routers can be a gateway for cybercriminals, and performing regular audits can uncover those deficiencies and
- Use company-provided equipment whenever possible – The use of personal equipment may be fine in the short run, but it should not be a long-term solution. Giving telecommuters access to company-owned computers, with built-in security and strict access policies, can greatly enhance cyber security.
- Have a backup plan in place – The data moving through the corporate network should be backed up regularly, whether those files originate from the homes of telecommuters or the cubicle down the hall. Having a robust backup plan in place, and testing that plan regularly, is an essential part of managing a remote workforce.
- Protect data and private communications with encryption tools. End-to-end encryption can vastly reduce the danger of data theft and other forms of cyber crime, so make sure there is a robust encryption policy in place.
Managing a remote workforce is no easy task, but it is more important than ever. While many businesses had already embraced the cost savings and flexibility of telecommuting, firms that were previously reluctant are now jumping onboard. If your small business has telecommuters, taking some proactive steps now is the best way to safeguard your data and prevent cybercrime.
Learn how to maximize security within your small business when you download our guide, Big Security in a Small Business World. Reach out to Cybertek if you have any questions. We’ll be glad to assist you.