Staying cyber safe when your employees work remotely

Remote work is the new normal for some businesses and organizations. Whether your employees work from home full-time, or just occasionally, it’s important to keep your business and its data safe. Here’s how you can help your small or medium-sized business (SMB) stay cyber safe while your employees work remotely.

Create a cyber security plan

A strong cyber security plan key to protect your SMB from cyber threats. This plan should outline the policies, procedures and tools your business uses to protect its data and networks, including guidelines employees should follow when working remotely. The plan should also include guidance and restrictions for using company-owned devices remotely, as well as include best security practices for data being handled on personal devices. Your business’ cyber security plan should be understood by current employees and be included in your onboarding training.

Offer employee training

Cyber security is a team effort when it comes to your small business. One employee’s mistake could lead to a virus VirusA computer program that can spread by making copies of itself. Computer viruses spread from one computer to another, usually without the knowledge of the user.  Viruses can have harmful effects, ranging from displaying irritating messages to stealing data or giving other users control over the infected computer. being installed on a work device, or even losing valuable customer information. The most important thing you can do is communicate your cyber security plan with all your employees and let them know what individual actions they can take to stay safe online – like knowing how to spot a phishing message. Creating engaging challenges or activities that get everyone involved can also help when it comes to training and awareness. You should also encourage them to report anything suspicious to you, your management or IT. Get started by creating an incidence response plan. Here are a few topics that we suggest covering:

• Securing their Wi-Fi network
• Creating strong passwords and passphrases
• Spotting phishing messages
• Avoiding clicking unknown links or downloads from unfamiliar sources
• Updating software regularly and enable automatic updates
• Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) on devices
• Backing up their files regularly

Protect data on remote networks

When working remotely, your employees will need access to a network NetworkSeveral computers that are connected to one another. outside of your organization. It can be difficult to manage how secure their home and other networks are compared to the ones you have onsite. Consider using these cyber security tools on corporate devices to strengthen your employees’ network security and keep your business’ data safe from anywhere:

• Anti-virus software to detect and block cyber threats
  • all devices, remote or not, should have anti-virus software installed
• A virtual private network (VPN) to make it harder for cyber criminals to intercept data
  • require employees to use a VPN when accessing company files remotely
• Firewalls to block unauthorized access to your network
  • ensure both hardware and software firewalls are properly configured and maintained

Although it can be hard to manage personal network settings, it’s important to offer your employees guidance on how to protect their private networks to keep their connections secure.

Keep privileged data on a need-to-know basis

Ensure your business stays on top of its cyber security by keeping an eye on its networks, devices and people who can access them. Limit access to company accounts and sensitive information to only employees who need as part of their job. Regularly review and update UpdateUpdates to software and devices add new features, fix bugs, and often contain new security features to protect against attacks. access permissions and make sure you change passwords when an employee leaves. The fewer people with access to sensitive information, the easier it is to monitor and ensure it isn’t compromised.

Empower your employees

Create a culture where cyber security is everyone’s responsibility. Empower your employees to make safer choices online. Encourage them to report suspicious activities like phishing PhishingAn attempt by a third party to solicit confidential information from an individual, group, or organization by mimicking or spoofing, a specific, usually well-known brand, usually for financial gain.  , and check in regularly to make sure everyone is familiar with your business’s cyber security plan.

Conclusion

Keeping your business cyber safe while working remotely requires the right tools, training and practices. Follow these guidelines to help protect your business from cyber threats and ensure that your employees’ remote work setup is secure.

Check out the Get Cyber Safe Guide for Small Businesses for a cyber security plan template and more tips on keeping your SMB safe from cyber threats.