Resources

Best practices to secure remote work access

Remote work has become increasingly popular for organizations and highly demanded from employees, as it has reduced commuting expenses for employees and travel expenses for organizations. Remote work has helped organizations improve HR function while providing employees with a flexible and on-the-go work routine.
Recent research shows that 97.6% of remote workers would like to keep working remotely, at least partially, for the rest of their careers. Additionally, data projections stated by researchers at
Ladders  show remote work opportunities
will continue to increase through 2023.

 

However, remote access also comes with security challenges that are not present in the traditional workplace. Sophisticated forms of security need to be implemented to gain access to secure remote jobs.

We will explore the best security practices that any organization can employ for a secure remote work environment.

Best security practices for a secure remote work environment

  • Issue secure equipment for remote employees:

That would be ideal if organizations had the necessary means to provide their employees with company devices like laptops and phones. It is the best way to secure remote work access. It would prevent employees from using personal equipment. Organizations’  devices should also be managed by their IT team to ensure regular updates, configure firewall settings, and install antivirus and anti-malware. They can also restrict access to unnecessary software or data that could pose a security risk.

  • Develop & implement a Cybersecurity Policy For Remote Workers:

 

Aside from having regular updates and security check-points, creating a cybersecurity framework for remote workers is highly important. It will help organizations understand potential risks and potential solutions, raise awareness about the latest cybersecurity threats, and always be prepared for the worst. According to StealthLab, 78% of internal data breaches are caused accidentally, which is sometimes due to the lack of understanding of internal data breaches and cyber threats.

Any employee can quickly become an access point for a hacker to hijack any organization’s network if no strategy exists.

Create a cybersecurity policy that specifies rules for adhering to security standards at home or when traveling to prevent this from happening. Examples of procedures are the Expected use of approved encrypted communications tools like Signal or WhatsApp; computer security schedules, such as updating antivirus or anti-malware software; and processes for remotely erasing devices if lost.

  • Implement Virtual Private Networks:  

A VPN is software that creates a secure connection over the internet by encrypting data. VPNs hide the user’s internet protocol (IP) address, making online activities nearly untraceable. Most importantly, VPN services create safe and encrypted connections that provide more privacy than a protected Wi-Fi hotspot. They are a must-have when allowing employees to access a company’s resources or applications remotely.

  • Regular risk assessments and security audits:  

Regular risk assessment activities and security audits are two of the most effective strategies applied by companies across any organization. Risk assessments help in detecting and analyzing potential hazards and vulnerabilities that could compromise overall remote access security.

Furthermore, Organization-wide remote services and work audits can help focus on essential components of the remote environment, such as VPN logins, network ports, user rights, and cloud solution security.

Employers can easily spot suspicious user activity or anomalies in network traffic if they have a well-documented post-audit report. Risk assessments will also assist them in planning for the future, implementing new technologies, and developing remote access security measures to protect them from future dangers.

  • Use Encryption

Encryption is as crucial in choosing an access method for remote workers as ensuring that those methods use encryption to protect their data and connections.

Encryption is transforming data into code, often known as ciphertext. The data can only be decrypted and used by those with the key or cipher.

For organizations and distant workers, encryption software adds another layer of security. If an employee’s computer is lost or misplaced and is found by a malicious actor, encryption software will help prevent unauthorized access. There are two main methods of encryption: Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and End-to-end Encryption.

DataPatrol products to secure remote work access

Besides implementing different protocols, using personalized applications to secure remote work and providing company devices for work, there are still risks of internal data breaches, whether by employees or relatives.

For that reason, DataPatrol provides different solutions to make remote work safer and concerns-free that were implemented during the covid-19 outbreak by various partners and organizations.

  • Anti PrtSc function:  

To prevent screen capturing, DataPatrol has developed a tool that regulates and inhibits screen capturing via capture keys, buttons, and third-party programs, which is one of the most popular means of data theft. When the Anti PrtSc function is active, the user is allowed to take screenshots; instead, the screenshot will be a black rectangle.

  • Screen Watermark Solution:

Applying a watermark on all company devices seems like an outdated solution. But with new technologies, the DataPatrol Digital Screen Watermark Solution helps enterprises control internal data leakage better. Applying a Watermark to all end users’ desktop workstations and servers helps provide complete information about the logged-in user, IP Address, time, and other helpful metadata. It allows organizations to build up detailed policy control, assign policies to different users and groups, customize the look and feel of the watermark, set up a granular policy control and assign policies to other users and groups.

  • Printing Watermark Solution:

 

The Printing Watermark solution helps you keep track of which printers are allowed to be used by employees when working remotely, enabling you to watermark any printed document. It allows you also to log all these files without watermarking it for auditing purposes. This can be applied to any document whether printed via a physical printer or into a PDF/XPS document. With Printing Watermark feature you can protect content and to claim ownership of documents.

As offices began to welcome employees back, many decided to keep the remote option. It gave them different advantages such as flexibility in the work location, the capacity to have more employees, and increased productivity. Establishing effective security practices is more critical than ever, whether for remote opportunities or office jobs.

By developing protocols, training employees, and ensuring that necessary security frameworks are established, organizations can increase productivity while minimizing security risks and internal data breaches.

secure-remote-work

More Topic