The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak to be a global pandemic in March 2020. The virus has now spread across 188 countries, with over seven million confirmed cases and at least 408,811 deaths. The United States has had the highest number of confirmed cases for months now, with close to 2 million cases and more than 112,174 deaths.
One of the primary precautionary measures taken by local and state governments and employers worldwide is to have non-essential workers work remotely from home. This, however, poses a credible security risk to many organizations. Without the company’s internal cybersecurity systems in place, organizations face an increased risk of cyber threats.
In this piece, we provide a comprehensive cybersecurity guide for employers to implement as their employees work remotely.
Work Computer Setup
Your employees are unlikely to use company equipment and devices as they work from home, and you must ensure that they follow the proper guidelines. If they are expected to run company-specific software, make sure to ascertain the recommended operating system and hardware specifications. There is a good chance that your employees’ devices will be underpowered, so take steps to ensure the software is optimized to run on a variety of devices with varying specifications.
Prevent the Use of Shadow IT
Several employees make the mistake of uploading sensitive company information to third-party medium or high-risk applications that your IT department hasn’t approved or authorized. This is called shadow IT. To prevent the use of shadow IT, do your part in providing your employees with all the applications and software they will need when working.
Secure Your Network Connection
With employees working remotely, you need to take extra steps to enable secure access to your organization’s networks. To do that, use a trusted and reliable Virtual Private Network (VPN) that encrypts remote access to the organization’s network.
Use Mobile Device Management Software
Mobile Device Management (MDM) software is one of the most effective ways to monitor and secure your employees’ laptops, desktop computers, and mobile devices. By using MDM software, you’ll easily carry out software and system updates in bulk, monitor malware, remove or quarantine unauthorized applications or users, remotely back up data, and much more.
As a premium cybersecurity threat hunter, we are committed to providing you the highest caliber in cybersecurity solutions and consulting services. We have garnered a stellar reputation for excellence in conducting thorough vulnerability assessments and web penetration testing. If you’d like to receive a quote for our services, contact us today.
