Tips for Managing Remote Workers to Improve their Cybersecurity

The trend of remote working has been increasing due to digital transformation and change in the overall landscape of businesses. The benefits of remote working are numerous including flexibility, cost-saving, and opportunities to hire a workforce from any part of the world.

People from all over the globe are shifting from the traditional work environment to a remote one. The reason is quite obvious that people have easy access to the internet. No matter whether you choose to work from a beachside hotel, a café, or a home-based office; remote working has given the leverage to work freely without restricting to a confined space.

As most of the remote workers work from home, therefore they need to have a reliable and speedy internet connection. If you are still searching for the best internet provider, we recommend you to look at Spectrum plans.

Whether working from home or in a public place, the first thing to make sure is that you take necessary measures to protect yourself from cyber threats. With a few simple tips and tricks, you can prevent yourself from attacks of cybercriminals and hackers. Here’s how to do it.

Educate Employees about Basic Security

If you are managing a remote team, your responsibilities may have cut in half. However, you have to be extra vigilant in providing training to remote workers about security. Ask them to be aware of phishing emails, how to use public Wi-Fi, and what measures to take to secure home networks. Moreover, you need to verify what devices they are using for work purposes and ensure they are properly secured.

It is high time that security might jeopardize due to phishing attacks on the rise. Remote workers should be told to avoid clicking any links that look suspicious. Ask them not to open emails from someone they do not know. The installation of third-party apps should also be restricted to avoid any security threats.

For security guidelines, you can hand a copy of the security checklist and guidelines so that everyone is on the same page. Remote workers must also be informed of people to contact if they see any unusual activity on their systems.

Ask Remote Workers to Use Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Remote workers are free to work from any part of the world, whether it be in a café, a hotel, or in the home. However, when using public Wi-Fi such as in the café, the employees must be asked to use a VPN. Virtual Private Network allows internet users to surf anonymously without revealing their identity. Generally, public Wi-Fi is not secure and hackers can break into the system to hack important and sensitive information.

VPN service adds an extra layer of security which includes hiding the IP address of the user, encrypt data transfers, and hiding the user’s location. The majority of enterprises pay a premium for a VPN to ensure security across the board. However, if you are tight on budget, you can simply choose a free VPN to ensure the security and privacy of workers all the time. Some of the best VPNs include ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Browsec, Hotspot Shield, and many more.

Frequently Run a Password Audit

As an employer, you have the responsibility to audit employee’s passwords. It does not mean that you need to ask the personal detail of each employee. But the purpose is to make sure that everyone is following the company’s security and privacy policy strictly.

Remote workers have to sign up for different accounts to get their work done. Some of the files and information are extremely sensitive and if leaked can cause loss to the company. Make sure that every employee uses two-factor authentication to log in to his or her respective account. Every single account needs to have a unique password. To avoid forgetting the password, you can simply use password manager tools to keep your passwords secured in one place.

Wi-Fi Configuration

Managing remote workers isn’t easy and you have to take everything in your hand. As most of the remote workers will be working from home, it is better to give them guidelines about Wi-Fi configuration to better enhance the privacy and security of the network. Most of the people think that protecting a computer by installing antivirus software is enough. But that is not true because if a hacker breaks into your Wi-Fi network, he/she may gain access to passwords, private photos, videos, and much more that you won’t share with anyone otherwise.

The first step is to ensure that the connection is encrypted to keep the hackers away and secure it. If you are not sure whether the Wi-Fi is password protected, try to connect a new device that has never been connected before. If it asks for a password, you are safe. However, if it connects without asking a password, you need to act immediately.

There are several Wi-Fi encryptions to choose from. WPA2 is the best one and can be changed from router settings. If the settings do not show the option, you might need to upgrade the router. Make sure your Wi-Fi password should be a minimum of 12 characters including special characters, numbers, upper and lower case alphabets.

Update Programs and Operating Systems

At times we are notified by our system to upgrade operating systems or software. However, most of us tend to ignore these messages because we are too busy in our work and can’t afford to waste a moment. But the fact is that updating programs and operating systems enhances the security of your system as well as programs. The updates are pushed by developers to remove glitches that are vulnerable to privacy and security. Moreover, the updates also allow you to enjoy new features that are helpful in working.

Final Verdict

Managing remote teams isn’t as easy as it seems to be. But if you want to prevent any kind of thefts and losses, you need to take the matter in your hand and ask everyone to act in accordance with the company’s policies.