November 30, 2020
Work from home is no doubt convenient compared to traveling long distances for work. Besides saving time and money from transportation expenses, surely it feels great to sit and work comfortably at your own home. However remote working means employees are required to access the company’s data or databases remotely which makes them exposed to certain risks. And home is not equipped with a robust cybersecurity system that an enterprise manifests. Therefore remote working results in greater risks of data breaches and cyber-attacks than normal times’ work in the office. So to minimize the number of risks, it is necessary to establish a secure testing environment at home.
Here are some of the strategies to take to achieve that environment remotely:
Awareness of Basic Security Norms – The primary step for a cyber secure work environment is to be aware of the basic security threats and plans to cope with it. One can effectively reduce a lot of risks by simply not clicking on links from unknown sources, or by avoiding spam ads on websites. One should avoid accessing social media accounts or personal emails from the work computer, verify incoming emails and especially be aware of phishing emails, lock their system after work, ensure their home router is sufficiently secured, and avoid installation of software from unknown websites. Cases of data breaches are on a surge at this time of crisis. It is important to follow the pandemic related guidelines issued by the organization.
Avoiding Public Network Connections – It will not be wise to use public wi-fi networks at cafes or hotels now as they are much more vulnerable to malware attacks and threats leaving your system open to risks and causes loss of valuable data.
VPN Access – Providing the system with a VPN means adding an extra layer of security which will effectively hide the IP address, user’s location, encrypt data transfer, and provide full access to the company’s network for updates on antivirus system and OS. It is also necessary to select a trusted VPN provider and not opt for the free ones.
Enabled Software and Security Updates – To ensure minimal vulnerability, the security protection programs, as well as all the other software in the system, should be up-to-date.
Robust Password Protection – Protecting your system with a complex and powerful password is another primary step to ensure basic system security. Tough and long passwords containing alphanumeric letters, uppercases, and lowercases, and a two-factor authentication scheme should be incorporated for the business-related databases and work computers. One should avoid using personal information as passwords like names or DOB. Changing the passwords periodically reduces the chances of hacking into the system.
Cloud-based Storage – Instead of storing confidential company-related data locally in personal storage, it is highly recommended to use the company’s cloud storage service. As personal systems can face multiple failures such as hard disk crashes, file corruption due to virus attacks, OS crash, and so on, employees should be encouraged to use their company’s network space for backups of significant emails or project-related documents.
Genuine Antivirus Software – A genuine antivirus protection should be installed in the work machine with regular automatic virus scans, and a firm firewall. With up-to-date antivirus software installed, the system is protected from malicious attacks while working on online platforms. Besides, it scans every file or folder in the storage or emails or even external devices when connected to the system and checks for viruses, malware, spam, etc. Also, it prohibits the user to access malicious websites which enhances security.
Avoiding USB devices – The use of USB sticks or devices should be highly discouraged as they are one of the major media of malware circulation. Instead of using them, it is advised to use the enterprise's cloud system for data transfer or any other methods recommended by the IT team.
Secure mode of Communication – Since all interactions related to both business and personal have been made digital during this pandemic, it is required to establish a secure mode of communication and use applications with end-to-end encryptions to ensure no data leaks. It is advised to use only the official mode of communication recommended by the IT team and avoid sending files over IM.
Install only Genuine Applications – Before downloading any third-party software on the system, it is best to consult with the IT team. Most of them are pirated and cause harm to the computer system.
Jump Host – A jump host or server in a network can manage devices in separate security zones. Employees can connect their home systems with the office’s, and keep their projects running without any risks.
MDM/EMM Solutions – Usage of MDM or EMM to manage the devices is of great benefit during this time as it will help to separate corporal data from personal with the best control of device security.
In conclusion, though the pandemic has caused a boost in cybercrimes due to increased dependency on digital tools, restraining them is not impossible and a secure testing environment can be assured if all the guided norms and regulations laid out by the organization are followed effectively without any discrepancies or fail.
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