Five Remote Working Security Tips You Can Implement Now

As instruction comes to work remotely across England and the devolved nations, the time comes again for IT leaders to ensure they provide users with the data and applications they need to work wherever they are. Follow these five remote working security tips to ensure your people they don’t pose a security risk when they’re working outside of the corporate network.

Remote working technology may not be the newest or the most exciting development in modern IT, but it is continually evolving. In 2020, remote working technology was deployed – perhaps hastily, but necessarily so – to empower organisations and their people to work in the most productive and collaborative manner whilst away from the office.

The likes of 8×8, Microsoft, Citrix and VMware are continually evolving their offerings, and it is incumbent upon IT leaders and security departments to assess their remote working security in-line with the latest developments and as the requirements to work remotely change.

Modern security threats come in many forms, from the malicious to the innocent and unintended. And with today’s stringent regulations threatening huge penalties for data breaches, now is the time to take remote working security seriously. In this blog post we’ll take you through our top five remote working security tips for 2021 that your organisation can implement now.

Five Remote Working Security Tips You Can Implement Now

Remote working introduces another dimension of security threat to your organisation. Your physical and system security may be robust and well-established at your headquarters, but the same can’t always be said for all of the new locations your people have been forced to work from throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The following five remote working security tips will help you implement security best practices for all users who access your systems, regardless of their location:

1. Keep your equipment safe. Your laptop, smartphone and tablet devices (all endpoints) are all targets for criminals. If you’re working in a public space, never leave your equipment unattended. And you should also be aware of shoulder surfers, who may be looking at confidential information that is displayed on your screen.
2. Create a strong password. You’ll need a strong password to ensure that – if the worst happens and your equipment is stolen – criminals won’t be able to login to your profile. Strong passwords are at least eight characters long, contain uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and special characters.
3. Be wary of using public Wi-Fi. Unsecured public Wi-Fi services – such as those offered by coffee shops and transport providers – can present a security risk, as data transmitted through public Wi-Fi can be intercepted. Consider using your mobile phone network rather than a public Wi-Fi service.
4. Use a secure remote access method. A VPN tunnel from your laptop to your email, file and application servers can create a backdoor for hackers to gain access to your infrastructure. Consider using a secure remote access method like Citrix XenApp, which is inherently more secure than standard VPN tunnels and also offers greater management and functionality.
5. Implement antivirus, email security and web security. Your servers and office desktops are protected by endpoint antivirus, email security and web security. What about your laptops and other devices outside the office environment? Whether you’re in the office or working remotely, you should maintain the same high security standards at all times.

The Importance of Remote Working Security

Training your users in remote working security best practices is essential to protecting your organisation. Security-aware users are your first line of defence against cyber-attack and data breach, and today’s organisations need to promote a strong security culture throughout their staff.

Our Cyber Security Assessment services enable you to align your cyber security posture to your risk appetite by implementing best practices that will increase your protection against cyber-attacks whilst your people are remote working. Learn more here.