Remote workforce cybersecurity: the basics of a long-term solution

The Covid pandemic forced organizations to see the necessity of remote workforce solutions for business continuity. And this mindset persists. Despite witnessing increased cyber risk exposure, 54% of IT leaders anticipate a permanent shift. What's at stake, and how can you position remote workforce cybersecurity for lasting change—and protection?   

The cybersecurity risks of remote working

Security fears have long surrounded the concept of a remote workforce. 

• Are employees allowing other people to see their screens?  
• Are they having meetings in open areas where others may overhear?  
• Do they leave machines unattended and unlocked?  

These are just a few issues exacerbated by the massive influx of remote workers and personal devices. And a recent report proves they may be justified. The Ponemon Institute found that workers are 85% more likely to leak or lose files than before the pandemic. Consequently, data from Malwarebytes Labs shows remote workers have caused a security breach in 20% of organizations since the start of the pandemic. 

Always be aware of your surroundings.

With the freedom of working from home comes a significant increase in personal responsibility. Help your employees understand the critical role they play and the need to remain diligent. Security education is a powerful force of risk mitigation, as is repetition. Make it a standing topic in your monthly meetings. Share cybersecurity best practices and cautionary tales or rip examples straight from the headlines. And remember, you can never overstress the importance of being aware of your surroundings.

Strengthen your corporate security position.  

A layered approach to IT security is most often the best solution. Securing your remote workforce is no exception. Here are three basic actions every business should take:

1. Use a VPN to connect users outside the perimeter of your corporate network. 
2. Enforce a practice of long, complex passwords and reinforce them by multi-factor authentication.  
3. As a managed service provider, the team at ERP Suites is trusted with hundreds of passwords to access our customer's networks. We use a password vault with multi-factor authentication to control visibility.
4. Enable reliable endpoint protection on all devices connecting to the corporate network as well as DNS protection.
5. Endpoint and DNS solutions guard the ERP Suites corporate network even when devices are disconnected. 

There are as many pieces to layered security as there are variations of remote work. Connect with us to learn more about the products we use or for help designing your ideal remote workforce solution.