How to Create a More Secure Environment for Remote Workers

Working outside of the office is a reality for many people. While remote working offers numerous benefits, it also creates some IT security challenges. Looking at ways to increase security for your remote workers is especially critical in today’s age of evolving cyber threats. On the other hand, failure to provide adequate protection for your team can lead to data breaches and hours of downtime.

Here are some tips for creating a more secure environment for your remote workers.

Educate Your Team

Cybersecurity incidents usually occur because of employee mistakes. Accidently downloading a malware-infected email attachment or visiting an unsafe website can lead to numerous problems. The best way to stay proactive against these scenarios is to train and educate your team on how to avoid making these simple mistakes. IT security training for remote employees is essential, as it’s often tempting to get lax with security while working outside of the office.

Turn On Multi-Factor Authentication

Another way to improve security for remote employees is to require them to use multi-factor authentication for all of their business-related accounts. Multi-factor authentication provides a much-needed extra layer of protection for these accounts by requiring users to verify their identity by confirming a one-time code sent to their email or mobile device. Requiring multi-factor authentication makes it much more challenging for cybercriminals to hack into accounts, as they will often give up and look for easier targets.

Require Virtual Private Networks

A virtual private network (VPN) plays a crucial role in establishing a secure internet connection for your remote workers. Using a VPN is especially helpful in keeping your internet activity safe against hackers. Working with your IT team is also helpful in finding the best VPN to meet your company’s needs. You can choose from several free VPNs, but purchasing one is nearly always better. A few of the most popular VPNs for businesses include NordVPN Teams, CyberGhost, Perimeter 81, and ExpressVPN.

Keep Software Updated

Using outdated software is an all too common problem in the business world. Not taking the time to download the latest updates creates significant security risks. Cybercriminals will often take advantage of vulnerabilities within specific software, which can lead to disastrous results for your company. Enabling automatic software updates for your remote employees is necessary to stay proactive against these threats. You can even schedule updates to happen at a specific time to ensure an employee doesn’t forget to download them independently.

Final Thoughts

Cybersecurity will only continue to be a significant concern for any business. Taking a proactive approach against cybercriminals is key to IT security. Educating your team about IT threats, requiring multi-factor authentication, and using VPNs are just a few ways you can create a more secure work environment for your remote employees. Understanding how to protect your remote employees is especially important, as cybercriminals often target at-home workers.