It’s no secret that remote work has skyrocketed during the pandemic. We’ve gone from occasional Zoom meetings to a steady workflow of virtual meetings, cloud file sharing, and remote access to company servers and networks.
While this flexible virtual setup is great for productivity, it presents new challenges, especially cybersecurity. Protecting sensitive company and customer data has always been critical for businesses. Still, the rapid shift to remote work has amplified our exposure through phishing emails, device vulnerabilities, and insecure network access points. That’s why developing a cybersecurity strategy for the remote era has never been more essential.
To secure our virtual workspace, the role of cybersecurity comes. Cybersecurity refers to technologies and practices that shield networks from attack or unauthorized access. Without the proper safeguards, companies face huge financial and legal risks if their data gets compromised.
This article will discuss why we need cybersecurity for success in remote work. We’ll also share some budget-friendly ways to upgrade your business’s virtual defences. Let’s have a look.
What are the Risks to Cybersecurity in the Remote Era?
As of now, we’ve been on the work-from-home grind for years. Things that seemed temporary or harmless have accumulated into legitimate risk factors that leave us vulnerable to cyberattacks. The following are some root causes behind cyberattacks:
1. Increased reliance on personal devices
For starters, most employees rely on their own devices and home internet connections to link into company systems. Without enterprise-level security protections, these personal gadgets become easy access points for hackers.
If I use the same laptop for work emails and web surfing, what’s to stop malicious software or spyware from slipping in? And if my home WiFi lacks robust encryption, it’s frighteningly simple for outsiders to intercept sensitive company data.
2. Lack of physical security controls
The lack of physical barriers and oversight makes things easier for would-be attackers. IT teams need to do more than walk the halls or peek over cubicles to ensure employees follow protocol. That means more opportunities for workers to defy security best practices, like using weak passwords or connecting unauthorized applications to the network.
3. Expanded attack surface
Hackers know our expanded remote ecosystems contain countless cracks waiting to be exploited. Just look at the rise in phishing scams in 2022. There is an increase of almost 45% in phishing attacks.
Criminals pose as trusted sources to trick remote employees into handing over login credentials, bank details, or other confidential info. Once inside company systems, attackers can secretly extract and sell troves of customer credit card numbers, healthcare records, intellectual property, and more.
4. Data breaches and leaks
These breaches threaten more than just company bottom lines without better virtual defences. They erode the bedrock of customer trust that reputations are built on. With data privacy laws growing stricter worldwide, cyber incidents also open organizations to heavy regulatory fines, lawsuits, and other legal dilemmas.
The risks feel endless some days. However, understanding the threats is the first step toward securing systems against them. Now, let’s move our chat toward the solutions side of things.
How Do You Safeguard Your Business in a Remote IT Workspace?
The following are some measures that you can take to protect your business from online fraud and cyber-attacks:
1. Employee training and awareness
One of the most critical steps to secure your remote IT workspace is to educate your employees about common cyber threats and how to prevent them. According to a report by IBM, human error was the cause of 95% of cybersecurity breaches. Therefore, you should provide regular training and awareness sessions to your remote workers on topics such as:
- Identify and avoid phishing emails;
- Use strong and unique passwords;
- Enable multifactor authentication (MFA);
- Update and patch their devices and software regularly;
- Use a secure Wi-Fi network;
2. Strong access controls and authentication
Another key step to securing your remote IT workspace is implementing strong access controls and authentication mechanisms for your IT resources. Some of the best practices for access controls and authentication are:
- A centralized identity and access management (IAM) solution, such as Microsoft Entra ID, manages authentication across devices, cloud apps, and on-premises apps.
- Use a zero-trust security approach, which assumes no user or device is trustworthy by default and requires continuous verification and validation of their identity and context.
- Use role-based access control (RBAC), which assigns permissions and privileges to users based on their roles and responsibilities rather than their identities.
3. Secure remote access solutions
A third step to secure your remote IT workspace is to use secure remote access solutions to connect your remote workers to your IT resources. Some of the best practices for secure remote access solutions are:
- Use a virtual private network (VPN), which creates a secure and encrypted tunnel between your remote workers and your network.
- Use a cloud-based remote desktop service, such as Microsoft Entra application proxy, which allows remote workers to access on-premises web applications without opening up broad access to your network.
- Use a secure file-sharing and collaboration platform, such as Microsoft OneDrive, which allows remote workers to store, sync, and share files and folders with others.
4. Endpoint security measures
A fourth step to secure your remote IT workspace is implementing endpoint security measures. Endpoint security measures are software or hardware solutions that monitor, detect, and prevent malicious activities on your devices. Some of the best practices for endpoint security measures are:
- Use reputable antivirus and anti-malware software, such as Microsoft Defender.
- Use a firewall, a software or hardware device that filters and blocks incoming and outgoing traffic. You can use the built-in Windows Firewall or third-party trusty firewall solutions.
- Use a device management solution, such as Microsoft Intune, which allows you to manage company- and employee-owned devices from the cloud.
5. Data protection and encryption
A fifth step to secure your remote IT workspace is to use data protection and encryption techniques. Data protection and encryption techniques transform your data into an unreadable format and protect your data. Some of the best practices for data protection and encryption are:
- Use data backup and recovery solutions, such as Microsoft Azure Backup.
- Use data encryption solutions, such as Microsoft BitLocker.
- Use data classification and labeling solutions, such as Microsoft Entra sensitivity labels.
6. Incident response planning
The final step to secure your remote IT workspace is to have an incident response plan to deal with potential or actual cyberattacks. An incident response plan is a document that outlines the roles, responsibilities, procedures, and tools for responding to a cyber incident. An incident response plan can help you minimize the impact, duration, and cost of a cyberattack, and restore normal operations as soon as possible.
What is the Cost of Safeguarding Your Business in the Remote Era?
Investing in cybersecurity measures may seem like an additional expense, but the cost of a cyberattack can be much higher. Additionally, the cost of a cyberattack can be much higher for small businesses, which may not have the resources to recover from a cyberattack. Therefore, businesses need to take cybersecurity seriously and invest in measures that can help protect against cyber threats.
The average cost of hiring a remote cybersecurity company is $100-$149 per hour, which is far lower than hiring full-time cybersecurity specialists. Moreover, the use of additional services like anti-virus can incur charges from $100 – $500 per month for small-size networks. So, the only solution remains to go with a specialized company providing security solutions.
One such company is Electric.ai, which provides a complete solution for your remote IT businesses. They use personalized plans that can cover small-sized companies to large networks. On top of that, they can provide 24×7 service and monitoring with advanced software and a team of experts. Not to mention their ease of access and a range of pricing models that ensure you get the most out of your money.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the cost of safeguarding your business in the remote era may seem high, but the cost of a cyberattack can be much higher. Businesses must invest in cybersecurity measures tailored to their needs to protect against cyber threats. By doing so, businesses can help ensure that they can maintain business continuity and protect their reputation.
