How To Strengthen Cybersecurity In Remote Teams

Even with bosses encouraging their employees to return to their cubicles, workspaces, and brick-and-mortar office buildings, remote working is still going strong. As a matter of fact, 92 million workers in the U.S. now have the chance to work remotely, and they’re choosing to work from home in lieu of dealing with commute times and soaring gas prices. If you are currently managing a remote team, talent experts LHH’s tips for managing remote teams outlines how it is important to prioritize remote meetings while also incorporating the human touch while handling remote workers. Beyond these tips, cybersecurity should also be a top priority when managing remote teams. Remote workers may be more vulnerable to cyber attacks as they’re not directly in touch with IT departments as they would be if they worked at the office.

Require employees to follow some best practices

Your company may already have some best practices set up. Regardless, we recommend password protection, 2-factor authentication, and installing antivirus and antimalware software. None of these are going to single-handedly make your information 100% secure, but it does help. A post on Wired about 2-factor authentication warns that “understanding your users and the security threats you face is the key to a successful two-factor authentication deployment.” So it’s important to incorporate all of the safety measures the company’s CIO or IT team considers necessary.

Keep Software Updated

All types of software – including but not limited to antivirus and antimalware detection software – should be updated regularly. Your computer or laptop should automatically tell you when an update is available, and you usually have the option to let the computer update everything automatically – leaving you with less hassle and one less thing to worry about.

Provide a VPN subscription

A VPN, or virtual private network, is an effective way to protect users from hackers. Basically, it disguises the employee’s network information by hiding their IP address and shields employees from network-based attacks. While there are free VPN options, it’s highly recommended that the company pay for a company-wide VPN that covers all employees – staff working in the office as well as those working remotely. Some of the most common VPNs include IVPN, NordVPN, and ExpressVPN.

Have employees back up data regularly

There’s nothing worse than losing progress thanks to a power outage, a computer crash, or any other inconvenience. One way to avoid this is to ask employees to back up their data. It can be backed up to the cloud, which can then be accessed from other devices. Just make sure that all personal or sensitive data backed up to the cloud is also protected with various layers of encryption.

Educate employees about phishing and Wi-Fi scams

Phishing scams are scams where a hacker tries to steal your personal information including login credentials, passwords, ID numbers, credit card numbers, and other sensitive data. Wi-Fi scams are a bit different, but the final goal is the same. In a Wi-Fi scam, the hacker will set up a network that looks like a public Wi-Fi network from a café or restaurant. When someone connects to the unprotected, password-less network, the hacker pulls information from the device. In the end, the hacker gains access to information that they shouldn’t have. The most powerful tool against these types of attacks is education. Teach employees how to identify and avoid phishing and Wi-Fi attacks, and what to do if they suspect they were victims of such an attack.

Cybersecurity should be a priority in every company. Luckily, it’s not difficult to make sure that your company’s cybersecurity tactics are up-to-standard. With the right tools and education, your company can protect itself from a multitude of different cybersecurity-related risks.