Remote work surged in popularity out of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic but seems to be here to stay, thanks to its unique advantages.
With the rise in remote work also comes an increase in cybersecurity challenges spurned by the circumstances of remote work.
Cybersecurity challenges in a remote work environment.
While some cybersecurity threats of the in-person workplace remain after transitioning to a hybrid or remote environment, others are more specific to remote work settings.
Weak passwords: Whether in-office or working remotely, weak passwords remain one of the most common threats to an individual's cybersecurity.
Reused passwords are particularly dangerous for remote workers.
If their online behavior for personal use compromises one of their passwords, and the employee reuses this password for one of their work accounts, the hacker could access the organization's sensitive data.
Due to the increase in the use of software like virtual private networks, virtual desktop infrastructure, remote desktop protocol, and cloud storage in the light of remote work, bad actors have more targets for their ransomware attacks.
Remote workers must remain hyper-vigilant of potential ransomware attacks - such as phishing scams or trojan horses - to protect their and their company's data.
Unsecured Wi-Fi: In the era of remote work, many individuals have turned to public spaces, such as coffee shops or restaurants, to provide a change of scenery from their home office.
Hackers can take advantage of public Wi-Fi's lack of security measures to steal information like passwords or even take over accounts entirely, though this can be resolved by requiring employees to work only from secured personal networks.
Personal devices: Another substantial cybersecurity risk companies face during remote work is using personal devices for work purposes.
At a minimum, employees should set up separate user profiles on their devices for work and personal use.
In an office setting, many of these endpoints are company-owned and managed, but when dealing with remote workers, these devices are owned and managed by the individual.
Strong passwords: The first and most crucial step employees should take to protect their data in a remote work environment is always using strong passwords.
Regardless of whether the account is for work or personal use, it is essential that passwords are not reused and that they have an adequate level of complexity to make it more difficult for hackers to get into their accounts.
Home networking: Remote employees should take care only to work from networks they know are secure, such as their homes or family's homes.
Email security: Implementing robust email security practices can also help protect remote workers' cybersecurity.
Identity management and authentication: Companies transitioning to hybrid and remote work environments should also invest in identity management and authentication procedures.
Remote work has offered numerous benefits for workers and organizations alike, but just because employees are no longer in the office and are not using company-owned devices does not mean the responsibility for cybersecurity goes away.
This Cyber News was published on www.cybersecurity-insiders.com. Publication date: Fri, 22 Dec 2023 03:13:05 +0000