Why Cybersecurity Training is Critical for Your Remote Workforce

Due to COVID-19, employees from all kinds of industries are now working remotely, which means business owners need to make major changes to their working protocol for employees.

While cyber security is always important, you’ll find that your business will face a larger number of cyber security risks now that staff are operating in remote locations that are harder to protect.

You could set up your business with all the latest tech devices and platforms, but without professional cybersecurity, that investment only puts your business at a higher risk for cyber attacks.

You’re likely to find that cybersecurity services are now an absolute essential for your company’s security, reputation and success. Here are some guidelines to help you maintain the best cyber security possible while working from home.

Hacking Attempts Will Take Advantage of Any Vulnerability

Remote work opens the door for cyber criminals to attack because many employees are unaware of how to safely work with data outside of the workplace. Security breaches are on the rise because cyber criminals are aware that businesses are more vulnerable when remote.

This is why it’s essential that you provide cyber security training for all employees. Train them in how to set up a firewall and use a VPN to access data on any device they’re using (rather than using their own Internet connection).

Most importantly, employees should be aware of who they can share business data with and how to do it safely.

Your Employees Could be Fooled by Social Engineering Attacks

Phishing tends to be one of the main methods used by hackers to gain access to your business data. Phishing is essentially the use of deceptive emails and websites to find protected or personal information. You need to ensure that all of your employees are able to easily and quickly identify phishing attacks so that they don’t engage with them.

Employees should keep a look out for bad spelling or grammar, generic greetings that do not use their name (such as “sir” or “madam”), and direct requests for personal information. In addition, they should also check the email address that emails are coming from, as some will mimic real sites but have misspellings (such as help@amazun.com).

Your Team Could Be Using Unsafe Applications or Programs

Your employees should only use authorized applications or programs. They may think they’ve found a piece of software that makes their job easier and more efficient, but a seemingly innocent tool may compromise valuable company data.

Be particularly wary of completely free software, as it could be a way for hackers to easily access your data. Control the installation of unauthorized apps to ensure that no malware is installed on company devices to prevent network breaches and data theft.

Remote Environments Can Make Tracking Security Threats More Difficult

The IT security in your commercial office probably already protects against some threats, but this doesn’t mean that your data is safe when employees work from home. For extra security, develop policies that ensure your employees put filters on Internet access and use other preventative measures to keep your business safe.

When a security threat does arise, it’s much more difficult to track it when everyone is remote. After all, you can’t monitor everything that employees do, and you don’t have control over their Internet connections.

However, cybersecurity services can protect your data even when everyone is working from home. A Managed Service Provider (MSP) can monitor and track vulnerabilities within your system and give you professional advice on how to rectify any weaknesses. An MSP can also advise your company on best practices, continuity plans, and technology investments.

Switching to remote work can be jarring for any business, but with proper security and technology, your company can continue to increase productivity and profits.