photo: https://magnet.me/
It is essential for managers, especially during this COVID-19 period, people are working remotely from home due to health guidelines, to safeguard the company through remote access policies. New threats arise when workers work from home. Workers may be tempted to leak company data online or even access restricted data that is kept in the company records. The workers may also face hack threats, and data may be accessed by the wrong people, which can be catastrophic to the company. Due to these risks, it is vital to have a secure remote access policy.
Encrypt Important Data
As information is exchanged remotely from home by workers to the company, the data may get hijacked by the wrong people. Also, theft or losing of company gadgets as their security is not assured since the worker is not working within the company grounds. Encrypting such data will help protect it as it is shared between both parties. Companies can provide VPN connections to systems that have advanced encryption to assist in protecting the data.
Set up a VPN
VPNs make it easy to access company data remotely, which on regular occasions, one would not do so while outside the company. It also ensures that the access is secure through encryptions. This only provides some protection from loose data to unwanted sources, but it is not full-proof.
Accept the Reality that Risks are There
It is better to be prepared rather than ignore security threats as employees work remotely. As we know, prevention is better than cure. Being prepared mentally by accepting that risks will always be there should be the first step for employers to strengthen the policies that will protect company information as workers work remotely from their homes.
Have Specific Gadgets to Be Used
Companies should offer regulated devices that should be used in executing company work remotely. These gadgets should be well monitored by the company to ensure that the security systems are up to date and that no leaks will arise as workers work remotely. Company IT department should ensure the smooth running and safety of such gadgets.
User Authentication
This is a security benefit. Records should only be accessed by people who have been authenticated. This means that it is less likely for documents to be accessed by third parties or unauthorized personnel. This is a strict access protocol that will ensure that company data is well secured.
Handle Sensitive Data with Care
As the name suggests, this data is sensitive. Hence, it should be secured well. Through strict access and security protocols, this data should be made inaccessible to unauthorized personnel. Restriction on the download of sensitive information is significant as well. When this data is accessed easily, it may get into the wrong hands and leak to the internet, which may lead to catastrophic results. Encryption is advised.
Assess Your Third Party Vendors
Giving access to third-party vendors is a bad idea. Most recent hacks have come through allowing third party access to sensitive information. Assessing every one of them is very important. Create access restriction policies where they can only access the documents that they are supposed to and nothing more. Don’t be too trusting. Follow up to see what they are accessing and include regular security updates.
Employee Provisioning
Managing access to several companies related things such as servers and data helps you have control over what employees can share when they leave the company or when a change of departments within the organization occurs. By controlling this access, workers working remotely can only access whatever data they are authorized. When one leaves, they forsake the right to access or share the data in any way. IT departments monitor who has had access to what and when.
Watch Out for Shared Passwords
This is risky. The company should use a digital automated account creation for one and all to reduce the chances of shared passwords which may lead to data encroachment by unwanted sources which could lead to a leak. This is a simple way to ensure the safety of your organization as remote access by workers continues.
The remote access policy, which is all about ensuring the right people access data should include encryption policies, Virtual Security, Password control, Confidentiality and policy compliance. The policies can have a variety of specifications which are, access time, connectivity and what software to use antivirus to use just to mention but a few.
Therefore, it is easy to prevent the leakage of company information by simply creating a secure online space where workers can work remotely in a safe manner. Data access restriction is very important since family members of employees may also access the data when the work gadgets are left idle accidentally.
By Abby Drexler, BOSS contributor
Leave a Reply