One of the perks of working remotely is location flexibility. But as telecommuting becomes more popular, data security becomes a more significant concern. Here’s what you can do to keep your company’s data safe.
Use Applications That Monitor Data Usage
It makes sense to use technology that monitors and manages data transfers and minimizes theft risk. For instance, many companies allow employees to use their mobile cell phones for both work emails and work calls. They do this by using applications that are controlled by the company and disable the email functionality when the employee leaves.
Encrypted Password Management
As a remote team, you have to share logins for sites. While you may want to send passwords via email, that’s not secure. LastPass is an encrypted password management system that makes password sharing very easy. You can share passwords with team members, and they won’t be able to see the actual password. If any team member decides to leave your company, there is no risk of sensitive data being shared or stolen.
VPNs
If your remote team is spread across the world, it’s hard to know the security level and which ISPs their internet traffic is running through. VPNs make locations untraceable and mask IP addresses, which is a must for a remote team.
Set Up a Remote Worker Security Policy
Companies should develop a remote worker security policy to inform and remind employees of what’s expected of them while working remotely. Even workers with good intentions may not know how to protect themselves and to protect corporate assets and sensitive data.
Use Web-Based Applications
Using trusted cloud services takes a part of security concerts off your shoulders since most providers protect users and services from potential security threats. When choosing a provider, pay attention to what kind of protection and service you’re getting. If you can’t decide what cloud services are best for your organization, make sure to consult with a professional IT service who can help you better understand your options.
Secure Essential IT and Resources and Tools
When planning to offer remote work opportunities, your company should have the required skills and tools to support and monitor your remote workers. A good data security strategy is to give the IT team control over remote devices and activities. Some factors to look into would be account lockouts, browser privacy password management, and firewall configurations.
Protect Your Devices
An important part of a security strategy is protecting your remote employees’ devices from malware, viruses, and unauthorized access. Encourage your remote employees to learn security best practices, such as regularly updating applications and operating systems they use for work. It’s also essential that they only install trusted software.
Two-Factor Authentication
This method confirms a user’s identity by first asking for a username and password, and also one more piece of information, such as a PIN sent to their cell phone or an answer to a “secret question.” Passwords can often be stolen or compromised, but with 2FA, someone’s likelihood of knowing a PIN or the security question’s answer is unlikely.