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• Cybersecurity Concerns Your Employees Need to Know When Your Business Goes Remote

Cybersecurity Concerns Your Employees Need to Know When Your Business Goes Remote

Several compliance issues come with hiring remote employees, but many of your employees may not know how they’re putting business and customer data at risk. Working from home can lead to identity fraud, data breaches, and many other negative consequences.

To ensure your files stay protected against hackers, be sure to mitigate the following problems.

 

Problem 1: Sending Large Files Through Email

Most email systems are not capable of sending or receiving large files, because it uses up storage space and can clog the networks. This makes exchanging customer files difficult and may also lead to privacy concerns due to the age of most prevailing email service providers.

To transfer large files securely, use a VPN-free access to Amazon S3 file gateway. With this solution, employees can access their corporate network directly without a VPN from anywhere, making trips to the office unnecessary. Plus, it allows access to the S3 File Gateway.

 

Problem 2: Phishing Email Schemes

While sending unsecured files over email only serves as a risk, replying or clicking on links embedded into shady emails pose the most direct threat to your company.

Since phishing schemes involve tricking the victim into providing login credentials, you may never know your employee has provided usernames and passwords to more sensitive information.

Nowadays, phishing emails are sophisticated and harder to spot, especially if they make it past included spam filters. Businesses will need to train their employees on how to detect and avoid phishing schemes by counseling and testing them on learned knowledge.

When in doubt, your employee should be able to email you to ask if “X” person sent them an email correspondence.

 

Problem 3: Encrypted File Sharing

File sharing is essential in remote work, but even office employees need to send projects or resources via a secured channel.

If your office computers have a secured server built into their systems or remote employees aren’t aware of proper encryption practices, they may send files that anyone could read. That sensitive information could lead to theft or a ransomware attack.

All sensitive data should be encrypted when it’s sent through your private server, phone, or email, even if the server they’re sending it from is already considered secure. File encryption will provide extra protection and time to shut down the server in case you’re a victim of a hack. You can consider tentacle to implement better security measures like file encryption.

 

Problem 4: Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication

A study investigated by Preempt found that 1 in 14 enterprise employees have set weak passwords for work, and 7% of employees are using their work passwords for other accounts.

Despite implementing policies that recommend strong passwords, it appears that most employees aren’t doing so because 83% of Americans are still using weak passwords.

Instead of blocking off passwords that don’t include at least 10 characters with special, upper case, lower case, and numbered characters, use software that randomizes passcodes. Companies should also include two-factor authentication on the password screen. This includes providing an answer from a list of questions and a code that’s sent to the user’s phone.

 

Problem 5: Personal Devices: Phone, Printer, Computer

When employees work remotely, they don’t pack up their office computers when they leave. Solely remote employees don’t even have this option, although they may be more technologically savvy.

Either way, it’s likely that their personal devices are encrypted or protected against cyber security risks from their phone, printer, and laptop computer.

Speak to your employees about installing encryption software on all of their devices. Or, you could limit personal use to their computer only. Using a private server is the best option because your employees will be able to use their personal devices without much worry.

 

Problem 6: Home and Public WiFi

Public WiFi is an obvious security risk, as it leaves your computer open to anyone who also may be using that WiFi. However, home WiFi is often overlooked because employers assume that their employees are working from a secured connection. Sadly, that isn’t always the case.

In your Internet safety agreement, include updates on their computers (for firewalls and antivirus software) as well as their router. Router gaps are patched via updates, but when they aren’t, data breaches become more likely over time. Ask your employees to look for encryption features that are likely present on their router, WiFi, and computer to ensure they’re protected.