Remote working has gone from being the preserve of freelancers and flexible enterprises to becoming a mainstream work format, thanks to COVID-19. But what does this mean for IT security?
By now we’re all familiar with the concept of working from home and carrying out desk-based jobs away from the traditional office environment. But what does remote working mean for your information security responsibilities, and how do you successfully manage your business’s IT needs when your team is working from home?
Here are five points to consider:
Automate Some of your More Routine Tasks
Managing a wide number of systems remotely can feel like a mammoth task, especially with a substantial number of manual IT processes to think about. Very few organizations have the capability to do this remotely in the long-run, which is why automating some of the more common IT tasks can be a good idea.
Implementing endpoint management solutions that allow you to automate processes can save time and resources. This requires a bit of work in the short-term but will reduce a team’s workload over time.
Use an Endpoint Management System for Remote Monitoring
One of the main challenges facing businesses now working remotely is managing all those remote devices. An endpoint management solution can provide remote monitoring and control of off-network endpoints, allowing your IT team to easily and effectively access endpoints and troubleshoot any issues.
Endpoint management tools can be used to access devices without interrupting the user. This is a critical consideration because no organization wants strong security to come at the expense of productivity. Instead, this kind of system enables IT, technicians, to work behind the scenes and maintain safety with minimal disruption.
Make Sure you Have a Clear Disaster Recovery Strategy in Place
Disaster recovery planning is key for all businesses, especially when working remotely. Data loss can be catastrophic for businesses, so it’s important that you have an effective back-up system in place and a roadmap for swift response to reduce downtime and impact should an incident occur.
Look for an appliance-based DRaaS solution that can be integrated into your endpoint tool, helping you manage backup data from a single device. This will ensure that, if any unexpected downtime or data loss does occur, you can recover safely and quickly.
Protect Against Cyberattacks
Cybercrime is one of the most significant threats facing modern businesses, with more and more of our data and business processes taking place online. And in times of international crisis and uncertainty, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, cybercriminals work overtime to make use of any vulnerabilities and weaknesses.
From sophisticated phishing attacks to unwarranted data access and malware release, hackers are constantly creating new ways to take advantage of businesses across all industries. So protecting your organization is key, especially when working remotely.
Strong security comes in many forms: good employee knowledge, strong password protection, network defenses, and more. This all requires a comprehensive solution, meeting certain guidelines for business security as outlined in frameworks like ISO 27001. As the business community’s awareness of cybersecurity threats continues to grow the demand for supply chains and partner organizations to have ISO 27001 certification to showcase a commitment to security is growing quickly.
Demonstrating compliance may seem like a large undertaking but with the help of experienced ISO 27001 consultants, it’s possible to streamline this process and work more effectively than might otherwise be possible.
Back-Up Your SaaS Data
Software as a Service application, or SaaS, is becoming more and more commonplace in businesses, and for good reason. The likes of Microsoft Office 365, Google G Suite and Salesforce are designed to operate for mobile and remote workforces, allowing for the easy and well-protected sharing of data and documentation.
Even better, many of these platforms also come with in-built backup methods, protecting your device’s documents against potential data loss.
