Have you recently transitioned your business to allow for remote work? If so, congratulations! You’ve taken an important step in ensuring that your employees can stay productive, even when they’re not in the office.
But with this new way of working comes new security challenges. After all, if your employees are working remotely, it’s more difficult to keep an eye on what they’re doing and to ensure that they’re following best security practices.
Here are seven crucial security practices that businesses with remote workers need to follow:
1. Require strong passwords and two-factor authentication.
When employees are working remotely, it’s even more important to require strong passwords and two-factor authentication. This will help to protect sensitive data and company assets, even if an employee’s device is lost or stolen. For added security, consider using a password manager to generate and store passwords.
2. Educate employees about phishing attacks.
Phishing attacks are one of the most common ways that cyber criminals try to gain access to company data. These attacks usually involve fraudulent emails or websites that trick employees into revealing sensitive information, such as login credentials.
That’s why it’s so important to educate your employees about phishing attacks and how to spot them. You can do this by hosting regular training sessions or sending out educational materials on a regular basis.
3. Encrypt all data.
When data is encrypted, it’s converted into a code that can only be decrypted with the right key. This means that even if cyber criminals are able to gain access to your data, they won’t be able to read it.
Encrypting data is especially important for businesses with remote workers, as it’s more difficult to physically protect data when it’s not stored in one location.
4. Use a VPN.
If your employees are accessing company data remotely, make sure they’re doing so through a virtual private network (VPN). This will help to keep the data safe and secure, even if it’s being accessed over public Wi-Fi.
5. Restrict access to sensitive data.
Not all employees need access to all of your company’s data. Sensitive data, such as financial information or customer records, should be restricted to only those who absolutely need it.
6. Keep software up to date.
One of the best ways to protect against security threats is to keep all software up to date. This includes not only the operating system, but also any applications that your employees are using.
7. Have a plan for dealing with security breaches.
Despite your best efforts, there’s always a chance that a security breach could occur. That’s why it’s important to have a plan in place for how to deal with such an incident. This should include steps for containment, investigation, and recovery.
By following these security practices, you can help to keep your business safe, even when employees are working remotely. If you’re looking for more help with security, consider working with a security services provider like Tech Rockstars. They can help you to assess your security risks and implement the best possible solutions. For more information, visit their website at www.techrockstars.com or give them a call at (626) 322-2176 today.