The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about an array of changes to the workplace, the largest of which being the shift to remote work. As more businesses look to maintain the switch to home working, IT teams have had to quickly adapt to securing a perimeter fragmented by location and network.
94% of cyber security professionals are reported to be more concerned about security than before the pandemic, driven by worries over home network security, malware attacks, keeping remote systems configured securely and compliant.
In preparation for Cyber World Congress, a 24-hour event dedicated to cyber security for the APAC, MEA, European, LatAm, and NA regions, we look at the most common remote work faux-pases and how to best address them.
WiFi is Everywhere, But is it Secure?
According to BitSight, home networks are three and a half times more likely to be infected by malware. As employees use their home WiFi networks to work from home, a staggering number are unaware of the security risks of an insecure network.
Unsurprisingly, a report by Business Wire found that employee home network security remains the highest area of concern (58%) for cyber security professionals. By simply changing your network password semi-frequently, you significantly reduce the risk of a breach. Furthermore, using a VPN to access work-critical applications can also help lessen the chance of data exposure, especially on notoriously insecure access points like public WiFi.
Blurring the Lines Between Work & Life
While the majority of remote workers have been issued a work device by their employers, working from home has led to a significant blurring of the line between work and personal life. As many as 62% of workers have used their work machines for personal use (i.e. YouTube, streaming platforms, etc.), increasing the chance of malware infection thanks to unsecured personal accounts.
As many as 16 billion records were exposed in the first half of 2020, owing to stolen credentials and brute force attacks. Implementing multi-factor authentication is a huge step in the right direction when securing your devices from malicious actors. With as much as 99% of malware attacks requiring human interaction to succeed, verification hurdles help overcome the security chasm caused by the work/life blur.
Treat Your Work Device Like You Would Your Home
Poor device security remains a large issue when it comes to keeping employees working remotely secure. Almost half (45%) of the respondents in OneLogin’s survey signalled that they shared their work device with someone else in their household, leaving the door wide-open for accidental malware infection.
Treating device security like home security is a great way to keep out bad actors – i.e. locking up when you leave for the day. By securing the device when it’s not in use, ensuring it isn’t left unattended and keeping antivirus and anti-malware software up-to-date, you can significantly reduce the security risks of working from home.
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By taking the simple precautions mentioned above, keeping your remote workers and your own remote work secure shouldn’t be an issue. For a more in-depth look at how to tackle advanced threats in the age of remote work and digitalisation, secure a complimentary pass to Cyber World Congress with code: REMOTEVIP at https://world.cyberseries.io/register/
View the full speaker line-up and the detailed event programme here.
(T&Cs apply. Code eligible for end-users only. No vendors, consultants, or press.)
