More companies are switching to a remote work culture where the employees can stay in the comforts of their homes. Nowadays, working from home is necessary to ensure the safety of each member of the company. However, a new problem arises from this necessary gesture– it increases cyber threats. Thus, the need for network security essentials and network resiliency is a must.
Working in an office setting allows companies to protect their data and keep their network safe, but now that people need to work outside the company, the risk of falling victim to a social engineering attack becomes much higher. If not fully prepared, organizations will see a surge in breaches or hacking attempts by cybercriminals.
Network Security and Remote Work
It is relatively easy to set up network security in one location, which, in this case, is in the office. You need to invest in reliable network security solutions to effectively protect yourself from highly sophisticated cyber attacks.
There is a different kind of network security challenge when dealing with remote work situations. Allowing remote access to your company’s digital data increases the risk of getting hacked.
Accessing files from unprotected locations can make it easier for cybercriminals or hackers to steal company data or use them as a hostage during a ransomware attack.
Essential Network Security Tips for Remote Work
Here are some best practices to observe or implement to ensure effective countering of cybersecurity threats:
Implement network defenses in layers.
Practicing defense in depth is an important practice when making a secure network for remote workers to use. Defense in depth refers to layers and layers of defense measures in place across the OSI layers to counter cyber threats.
This practice is proven effective since it ensures that if one layer of defense fails, another one can take over.
A good example of this type of network security solution is the Bitdefender security solutions which offer firewalls, sandboxes, and antivirus software tools.
You can also use VPN to encrypt data for remote work.
Conduct training and seminars for cybersecurity awareness.
Helping employees understand cybersecurity risks, how cybercriminals operate, and how to avoid these attacks can significantly help reduce risks.
Most network-related threats occur due to employee negligence. However, if they are equipped with the necessary information to make better decisions, then it will reduce the risk of data breaches in the company.
If the employees are well-aware of phishing attacks, malware scams, social engineering attacks, etc. — then the less likely they will fall victim to these malicious attempts.
Understand how cybercriminals operate.
Understanding how the enemy works will help the company stay ahead of cyberattacks. Business owners, IT professionals, and employees should all think like a hacker to beat a hacker.
Making sure that everyone in the company understands cybersecurity basics and knows how to handle threats like malware, social engineering, ransomware, DDoS, and other tricks through which hackers thrive can help avoid data breaches.
Avoid data leaks by using secure file-sharing channels.
Businesses have sensitive documents and private files that best stay within the company. However, due to the remote work culture, the chances of leaking these data have increased.
Data leaks can happen if employees use an untrusted or unreliable file-sharing channel for sending company documents.
Endangering sensitive information can be prevented by establishing secure file-sharing policies. The business can also invest in cloud storage solutions for safe file exchange.
Improve your network security team.
Remote work makes network security more challenging in more ways than one. Improving your IT infrastructure is necessary. However, is your IT team prepared for the issues that may arise from the remote work culture?
You can improve your network security team by investing or encouraging your IT team to get a network security certification or hiring a certified network security officer. The company IT professionals will be trained to counter cyber threats and to prevent them by anticipating activities in the network.
Conclusion
Remote working is a notable and convenient way to run a business nowadays. It helps businesses to save on real estate costs, and it benefits the employees by allowing them to work in the comforts of their homes.
However, with great benefits comes new challenges. Working outside the office increases the risk for data breaches and other security risks involving company systems and files. Operating outside the company network gives cybercriminals opportunities to steal sensitive or confidential data.
Data theft can cost significant damage to a business both in financial and reputational terms. Clients will not take it lightly if a company accidentally leaks their private data due to a malicious cyber-attack.
Preventing cybercriminals from obtaining anything from the company network must be a top priority for every business– especially ones that hold consumer data.
Keeping the network security essential tips in mind and investing in network security solutions can greatly reduce the risk of a network breach and data theft.