Cybersecurity Precautions to Take When Committing to a Remote or Hybrid Workforce

The ongoing pandemic has forced millions out of the office and back into their own homes. To say that hybrid and remote work has taken off since 2020 would be an understatement, and these work models are likely to continue rising in popularity, even after the public health threat has passed.

With nearly three-quarters of US companies planning to implement a permanent hybrid work model and 55% of employees expressing the desire to work remotely at least three days a week, businesses are looking for new and improved ways to adapt to the future of work.

Remote and hybrid work offers many benefits, including greater flexibility in scheduling and reduced commute times. However, these work models also come with a downside: cybersecurity risks.

While everyone was working under one roof, maintaining data integrity and security was a relatively straightforward process, but with more people spread out and working remotely, it’s become much more difficult to ensure this level of safety.

Now more than ever, businesses should be putting data integrity front of mind and finding solutions to improve cybersecurity across the board.

What is Cybersecurity?

In a nutshell, cybersecurity refers to the set of practices designed to enhance the protection of computer systems and networks, protecting them from damage and unauthorized access. There are numerous elements of cybersecurity, including:

• Network security
• Endpoint security
• Data Security
• Identity Management
• Disaster Recovery

You can think of cybersecurity, then, as all-encompassing in terms of network security and protecting your content and data. Organizations with robust cybersecurity strategies governed by best practices are equipped to combat cybersecurity threats.

Cybersecurity Precautions For Remote and Hybrid Work

Remote and hybrid work can be a total disaster from a cybersecurity perspective, but it doesn’t have to be. Even with your workforce spread out and working remotely, you can still maintain the security of your network and devices. Here are some of the top ways IT leaders can implement cybersecurity measures for a remote/hybrid workforce.

Identify Potential Risks

To safeguard your network, you must first consider what exactly you’re trying to protect it against. Understanding the implications of weak security for your business can better enable you to take steps to mitigate threats. Be aware of all potential risks to your business and create a plan for how you’re going to move forward with security measures.

Monitor and Manage Your Data

Managing your data can drastically reduce the risk of threats, but what exactly does this process entail? First, it’s important to centralize your data, bringing it all into a single location and ensuring that forbidden parties can’t access it. Data loss prevention (DLP) software can monitor your data and scan for suspicious activity. You should also implement permissions, which prevent unauthorized access and editing of documents.

Empower Your Team With IT Tools

Your IT team should be at the go the minute you leave the office for remote or hybrid work. They should be able to provide employees with the tools they need to reduce cyber risks from home. Of course, you can also outsource your IT needs to an experienced provider. Teksetra’s IT support enables remote and on-site workers to complete projects and manage data security. Teksetra can help protect your sensitive data by assigning IT experts to support your security needs.

Implement Identity and Device Management Controls

Not being able to see who’s trying to access your business network can lead to data breaches and security threats. With employees working remotely, it becomes even more critical to implement measures to identify users and ensure that only those authorized to access your data can get a hold of it. One of the best tools for identity verification is two-factor authentication. You might also consider roles-based user provisioning, which grants varying levels of access to specific data based on an employee’s role within the organization or whether or not they are allowed access to that item for a particular project.

Teksetra is Here to Help!

Managing cybersecurity for remote and hybrid workers can be a daunting task, but it’s crucial to maintaining data security and helping your employees protect their devices. In 2021 alone, global cybercrime amounted to $16.4 billion in damages per day, and so it makes sense for companies to do all that they can to protect their digital assets to avoid revenue loss.

Teksetra’s IT solutions are compatible with both in-office and remote work. Considering that your internal team may lack the bandwidth or expertise to ensure adequate cybersecurity measures for your entire remote team, Teksetra is here to help you improve your remote work management and security. Our services include remote management monitoring (RMM), OS + 3rd party patch management, managed antivirus, business document backups, and more. Get in touch with us today to learn more about our IT services and how they can help provide you and your remote team with peace of mind.