How to Keep Data Secure in a Remote Environment

Keep Data Secure in a Remote Environment

Over the last 10 years, we have seen a growing number of people working from home, however, these numbers have increased significantly in the last 6 months in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Many businesses have had to flex to accommodate remote environments for workers while keeping the business running.

Technological advances have made it easier than ever to continue operations with a remote workforce, but businesses also face new security threats through remote work environments, making it necessary for companies to take additional measures to protect their data.  This article will outline some of the actions that companies can take to ensure their data stays secure, even in remote environments.

Establish a Data Security Policy

The first step in keeping company data secure with remote workers is to clearly communicate a data security policy. It would be a mistake to assume that your employees know anything about cybersecurity or their role in upholding it.

It is important that you have an established cybersecurity policy for your business, and that it has been reviewed and signed by every employee, whether they work remotely or not.

The cybersecurity policy should explain why the policy is important and outline the details of the security protocols that employees are expected to follow. The policy should also explain how the company will support the employees in complying.

Ensure a Secure Connection

This is essential – to make sure your company’s data stays safe, it is essential that you make sure your employees are always using a secure connection. One way to do this is to require your remote workforce to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network). A VPN will encrypt the remote worker’s internet traffic and also monitor it for signs of infection.

Ensure Work Data is Kept on Work Computers

To safeguard your company’s data, it is essential that remote workers are only performing work on computers that are owned by the company. This will dramatically decrease the likelihood of data theft. If your company has an IT team, devices that are owned by the company should already have security measures in place to both monitor employee activity and protect company data. If your remote workers are using personal devices, the company has no control over the security of the information stored there.

Set Up USB Device Management

USB devices can pose a potential threat to your sensitive data because they can contain malware or be used to intentionally copy company information. It is important to establish a practice of USB device management in order to monitor connected USB devices and set rules that control or block access to them.

In Conclusion

While allowing employees to work remotely can save money on overhead and keep companies going during times of crisis, remote workers can also increase the chances of data security breaches. However remote workers do not have to threaten the data security of your company. If you educate your remote workforce and clearly communicate expectations, you should have no trouble enticing your remote workers to adopt the standard practices that will protect your business’s valuable data.