Though you may believe your technology and IT requirements are lower if you don’t have an office building, the opposite is true.
What’s the most crucial reason remote work exposes your company to cyber-attacks? Home-based workers naturally create more hostile security of hackers due to the vulnerability of their home networks, insecure devices, and insecure environments.
1. Use of Personal Computers & Mobile Devices
More than 50% of remote teams utilize computers at home to complete their jobs, and many of them are using personal devices. With an increase in bring-your-own-device (BYOD), the line between personal and business use of technology devices is more blurred than ever, and where lines are blurred, exposure and vulnerabilities grow.
One of the main ways that Personal computers, as well as devices, create danger to your business or business is:
Incomplete or no BYOD security guidelines in place.
Even if you have strict policies regarding using personal devices and computers for work, if team members are not aware of the rules or ways to adhere to the rules, every device can be a target for security breaches. If no policies govern BYOD and other devices, it’s not a matter of whether but when a security breach could hurt your company.
2. Patching & Maintenance Coordination
The routine patching and maintenance of your company’s software, systems, and devices are essential in reducing the risk of cybersecurity threats. With systems and teams scattered across different environments, the management of maintenance may become problematic if there is no physical access to every endpoint as well as the variety of operating systems, as well as a variety of other issues that could arise when the users aren’t operating within the same space.
3. Unsecured Home Networks
Home WiFi networks are generally more prone to cyber-attacks because of their lack of or limited security features. In addition, most home network users don’t consider the multitude of devices connected to them, which increases the risk. Teams who work remotely must consider every device connected to the network at home as a security risk for their own personal safety and the security of their business.
4. Spotty Connectivity
Many businesses take extreme measures and invest large amounts of money in software that stops viruses from infecting the devices used to work. How does connectivity play an important role? A lot of antivirus software requires connectivity to operate at maximum capacity. If connectivity isn’t working, their effectiveness is reduced. One in four home WiFi networks have intermittent connectivity, allowing hackers to commit adversity.
5. Passwords
Sharing, storing practices, and general guidelines around password creation and usage are still significant risks for both businesses and individuals. Many businesses use safe password storage software like LastPass, 1Pass, MyGlue, and many others; however, even their use doesn’t eliminate the risks entirely. Why? Human error and the lack of education about password protocols.
If your business isn’t using secure and encrypted password storage and isn’t educating your employees to follow best practices in creating, storing, and sharing passwords, your company is at risk.
6. More IP Addresses
IP addresses act as identifiers for devices that are connected to a network. Every IP address allows hackers to use many cybersecurity attacks, such as ransomware, phishing, spyware DOS, and DD0S. The more IP addresses that use your tools and systems and tools, the more avenues are for hackers looking to cause harm. More than 58 percent of medium and small companies are at risk of cyber-attacks, and every industry is susceptible to these threats. If you’re unsure if it’s possible for your business, look at our case study about how a small non-profit organization was a victim of a ransomware attack.
Proactive IT and Technology Support is More Important Than Ever
Certain companies fail to withstand breaches or data loss; if they do, they could lose years or months of hard work. There are cybersecurity incidents and attempted breaches from businesses each day, and because of changes in work environments and flexibility, the risks are constantly growing. Inactive support and the bare minimum procedures expose you to greater risk and will cost your business or organization more over the long term.
Make sure to put off putting an effective security plan implemented. Contact our team to get started.
