5 Ways to Secure Your Brand’s Remote Work Environmet

In the wake of COVID-19, many employees have been left with no choice but to work from home (WFH).

We’ve banded together in an effort to slow the spread of the virus and keep people safe, and most businesses have taken great steps to contribute to quarantine efforts. In terms of work-from-home
situations, we will likely see this trend continue well after the hysteria dies down.

However, managing remote teams comes with many risks. As more and more teams transition to work- from-home setups, they face “unparalleled cybersecurity challenges” that attack our remote work
weaknesses and blind spots.

From phishing attacks to endpoint threats and network breaches, there’s a whole world of remote work dangers out there – and many businesses are now being exposed to them for the first time. As employees
move to remote work situations, risks climb, so does the need for proper security protocols.

To foster awareness and help protect your business from these invisible threats, we’ve rounded up five of the best methods to secure your company’s remote work environment. These techniques will protect
both your workers and your data.

1. Update Your Cybersecurity Policy

First and foremost, understand that your cybersecurity policies for in-office work might not meet the requirements and standards of remote work. WFH policies must incorporate different protocols and
prepare to face different threats, especially in the wake of COVID-19.
Mimecast Threat Intelligence researchers have recently confirmed that the growth of coronavirus-related phishing emails and malware is unprecedented. We’re facing new, innovative online threats on a daily
basis – and every employee across Ireland needs to be aware of their risks.

Take some time to read through your current cybersecurity policies and determine how they need to be adapted for today’s circumstances. For example, have you addressed:

– How employees will determine if their WiFi connections are secure?
– Anti-virus updates and installments?
– Backup strategies and cloud storage?
– Privacy tools for remote teams and add-ons for browsers

When everyone was working in the office, you probably didn’t have to think about some of these details. Now that working from home is pretty much the norm, it’s time to tackle those nitty-gritty details in your
policy so you can be sure that everyone is properly protected.
What you include in your at-home cybersecurity policy might also reflect what risks you’re seeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve seen an abundance of new threats pop up, and you’ll likely need to craft
your policy around some of the most common threats.

Depending on your industry and brand, you might need to include policy statements on:

– Protecting medical devices from criminal hackers
– Knowing the sites of email phishing campaigns and fraudulent messages
– Establishing safe VPN connections
– Securing cloud-based vulnerabilities and data access points
– Sharing data and passwords (among other sensitive information)
We’ve yet to see the full extent of the cybersecurity issues that will follow COVID-19, but one thing’s for certain: as people continue to move to different office environments with less protected setups, detailed
and updated policies are 100 percent essential.

Make moves now to address up-and-coming threats so that all of your employees understand the risks they face, as well as their personal responsibilities when it comes to protecting your brand.

2. Implement Patching Software

Now that you’ve decided to openly address WFH vulnerabilities, it’s time to think about implementing the right firmware to reduce the risk of attacks.

When people are working from home, your endpoints multiply in numbers. Servers, computers, phones, tablets, laptops, cloud files – everything can serve as a vulnerability if not properly protected. That’s where “patching” comes into play.

As you patch each device that your employees use, you install valuable threat intelligence and prevention software that can protect both individuals and brand data. However, patches are just what they sound like – temporary.

Therefore, your IT security team will need to continually update devices to make sure you have current, working patches to fend off the worst threats. In times like these, with devices and workers scattered in
different spaces, it might be worth looking into automated system patching.

If your IT resources are currently strained under the pressure of protecting and managing remote teams, it might be worth looking into automated system patching. Don’t put your updates and patches on hold, even temporary interruptions can lead to additional risks at your various endpoints.

Whether you’ve automated your patches or not, they should be at the top of your cybersecurity to-do list at all times. Nathan Wenzler, the chief security strategist at Tenable, recently told SC Magazine:

“If you’ve set up your tools in such a way that you’re able to easily deliver patches to remote systems, it’s a good idea to err on the side of caution and patch as much as you can in order to close as many potential attack vectors as possible.”

We couldn’t agree more. Before threats appear, and after, patching vulnerabilities is one of THE most important things your group can do to protect itself, especially during chaotic times like these.

3. Train Everyone

Although cybersecurity training should always be essential, it becomes especially important in times when work environments are shifting and online threats are on the rise. It’s not just the job of the IT team
to protect your company – it’s the responsibility of every remote worker.

Many employees aren’t even aware of the level of threats that are out there – or just how common cybersecurity breaches are. Educate your remote workers about the risks that exist and ensure that they
understand their own personal threats, especially while they’re working from home.

Up until recently, only around 53 percent of companies had some form of security awareness training in place. That leaves almost half of all companies without proper training and employee exposure.

Considering that human error is the main cause of a whopping 95 percent of cybersecurity breaches, this is something that must change.

The question is, how do you properly train employees about security risks when they’re in quarantine during a pandemic? It’s certainly a challenge, but you can properly train and educate your remote workers on the cybersecurity risks they face through web-based training programs.

Security Magazine has also released a list of excellent (free) security resources that can be used to educate your team quickly and thoroughly.
As much as we’d love to be able to pull in all employees and discuss cybersecurity protocols and threats in a real classroom setting, the risk of coronavirus contagion doesn’t allow us to do that. Fortunately,
there is an abundance of online resources out there that make remote team communication and training possible.

Do your best to eliminate the risk of human error, and continuously strive for company-wide awareness and security accountability.

4. Look Into Endpoint Protection, Anti-Virus Software

We’ve already talked a bit about how having so many endpoints in a remote work setting can be a huge liability. That’s why our fourth tip involves endpoint-specific protection protocols, as well as anti-virus
software that can protect all of your devices.

You might not need a mask to protect your computer from malicious malware and viruses, but you do need virus protection software that will cover all of your vulnerable spots. The goal of anti-virus (AV) software is threefold: to protect, detect, and remove malware from your
computer systems, wherever they may be. Although it was originally developed to handle a select kind of computer virus, it can now protect your business from a variety of threats, including:

– Keyloggers
– Browser hijackers
– Worms
– Rootkits
– Spyware
– Ransomware
– Web and email threats
– Malware

Now’s the time to cast a large blanket of coverage across your business, especially as so many workers are dispersed and functioning in different environments. Worried about spending more money on protection when so many of us are clutching our wallets tightly?

Fortunately, anti-virus software isn’t all that expensive in most cases – usually around $20 to $50 per machine.

Need a little guidance when it comes to picking the best antiviral software for your computer? Here are some of the top recommendations for work-from-home setups.

Norton 360 Standard

This extremely popular, comprehensive security software includes identity theft protection protocols, access to VPNs for online privacy, and evolving strategies for combating new cyberthreats. Norton has
long set the standard for cybersecurity protection, so it’s understandable that many remote workers are downloading the software to avoid falling prey to online phishing scams and ransomware.

McAfee Total Protection

McAfee’s software provides comprehensive internet security on all of your devices at once. This lowers your risk of privacy breaches and identity theft. Additionally, the anti-virus software provides on-the-go
secure WiFi capabilities, so no matter where you work, you can shield your data and activities from malware.

TotalAV

Real-time virus blocking? Check. Phishing security? Check. Identity protection? Check.

TotalAV provides comprehensive security for every aspect of your digital world, making it easy for you (and your remote workers) to stay safe no matter where you work. The software’s goal is to make virus
protection as hassle-free as possible while still updating to provide the latest forms of security.

5. Ask for Help When You Need It

More than 30% of Irish workers have had an online account compromised during their coronavirus- induced WFH situation. Company owners are anxious, teams are struggling to adapt to new
circumstances, and individual employees are experiencing job uncertainty.

If remote cybersecurity isn’t one of your realms of expertise, don’t waste extra time sweating when you’re balancing a plate full of concerns. There are third-party companies out there that can help you get your
security protocols where they need to be.

When you bring in a third-party cybersecurity company, you have the opportunity to hit multiple birds with one stone. From risk assessment to training and resource access, you’ll receive what you need to take
your remote environment to a safer level. In many cases, it can take up to half a year to detect a data breach. If you’re busy learning to manage
employees scattered across the country and dealing with the aftermath of a pandemic, you might not identify a breach for far longer. That’s where having a cybersecurity partner comes in handy.

It makes perfect sense to ask for help in a time when many businesses are struggling to stay afloat. If you don’t have the time and resources to properly prepare your business for the cyber threats of this pandemic, reach out for assistance from companies who know this realm backward and forward.

To Sum It All Up

Although remote workers and managers are functioning in an uncertain time, there are a few things we know – including the fact that cybercriminals are trying to benefit from weaknesses in remote
cybersecurity setups.

Organizations must prepare for the future of online threats, starting today, if we’re to make it to the other side of the coronavirus pandemic. Whether we’re working from home or not, things are changing – and
cybersecurity protocols must evolve with them.

Learn about the online threats your business faces. Implement proper patching and antivirus software. Train all of your employees, and when necessary, reach out to third-parties to buff up your protections.

By Aakanksha who is a brand strategist at E2M. She works on strategizing deliverables so as to bridge the gap between marketing and the potential customers. When she is not working, she is either dancing or reading scientific innovations and business magazines to understand the world and its dynamics. She can be reached on  Linkedin, Twitter, and Facebook.

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