Remote or hybrid work models are utilized by many businesses to keep their operations up and running. For all its benefits, hybrid work does present unique challenges as it exposes organizations to a whole new level of cybersecurity and compliance threats. With cybercriminals preying on vulnerable home networks and work-from-home employees saving files on local drives, businesses using a remote work model face a significant threat to proprietary data.
Challenges to security and compliance with remote work
Although many companies utilize a remote or hybrid work model, few have solid policies or processes supporting secure remote work. Even some of the largest companies struggle to adhere to compliance standards while their employees work from home.
Businesses of all sizes face the following challenges when working with remote employees:
- Reduced security: Today, your employees take their business devices home and use them on their home networks. They also occasionally use their personal devices for office work. This greatly threatens business data, since organizations have little control over security.
- Inability to enforce best practices: You can ensure employees follow data security best practices when operating within your office environment. However, with remote work, employees might use shared networks or public Wi-Fi connections to perform their work, adding to security complications.
- Inadequate backup: Data backup failure is quite common. That’s why organizations must ensure multiple copies of their critical data in case their remote servers are compromised.
- Lack of employee awareness: Although most organizations follow best practices concerning employee and customer data, human error is still a major threat to security and compliance. Remote employees must receive proper training on handling data and the best practices to follow.
Best ways to ensure compliance during remote work
Although remote setups make compliance more challenging, organizations can incorporate the following best practices to boost security and comply with various regulations.
1. Create a cybersecurity policy
If you don’t have a cybersecurity policy in place already, the time to create one is now. Organizations must create a cybersecurity policy suitable for remote work as well. This policy should cover employees’ various steps at personal and professional levels. Organizations can minimize their risk exposure by establishing proper standards and best practices for cybersecurity.
2. Incorporate a consistent data storage policy
Without a standard cloud storage policy, employees wouldn’t know how to store and handle data. There should be a shared repository on the cloud to back up files instantly from different sources. In many cases, copies of data that employees store on their local drives can threaten data security and create inconsistencies in storage policies. You must ensure that data storage policies are strictly followed throughout the organization.
3. Increase remote monitoring
During remote work, endpoint management and cybersecurity policies are impossible to incorporate without the power of automation. You need a strong remote monitoring solution that manages all your endpoints and helps you adhere to compliance regulations. You can minimize vulnerabilities and security threats with complete visibility into the entire remote working network.
4. Increase employee awareness through training
Since human error is extremely likely in all organizations, proper training should be provided to remote-working employees. This training should focus on major issues such as clicking questionable links, being wary of messages from untrusted sources, having strong passwords, implementing multifactor authentication, etc. If your organization falls under specific compliance regulations, you’ll need to provide additional training to data-handling employees regarding the best practices to be followed.
5. Use the right tools and solutions
As cybercriminals and their tactics evolve and become more sophisticated, you need to use effective software tools and solutions to combat this threat. In addition to remote monitoring software, you must use the right antivirus, cloud backup, password manager and more. You must also ensure these solutions are properly integrated into a comprehensive platform.
What businesses need today
Ensuring compliance is a critical task in itself. Doing that while implementing remote working policies and procedures can overwhelm organizations. You need to invest in a security solution that allows you to protect your valuable data and meet compliance regulations even in a remote work environment.
With our team of experts by your side, concerns about security training will fade away. Embark on this voyage toward fortified cybersecurity with us by visiting www.CybersecurityMadeEasy.com today.
