Keeping data secure when working from home
Keeping data secure is one of the main concerns companies and individuals are faced with when working remotely. With almost 50% of the population now working from home, it is essential that security programs and policies are both capable enough and sustainable enough to ensure that data remains safe. Even following a return to normal working conditions, lots of companies may use the success of home working during lockdown to implement a more flexible and accessible remote working policy going forward.
While it is vital that we are keeping data secure throughout the pandemic, it is an ongoing necessity. Ensuring that remote working is as safe as can be for both employees and companies is essential to implementing successful remote working strategies both now and in the future.
For those who have already adopted remote working, robust data security policies may already be in place. However, many companies have not worked this way before, at least not on this scale, or may have only just begun to dip their toes into the remote working pool, meaning that their security best practices may still be in the initial phases of development.
The main thing to consider when taking operations remotely, in any scenario, is training. The key to keeping data secure is ensuring all employees are comfortable with the systems they are using, they understand the importance of security measures and best practices, are able to spot anything that may be suspicious or out of the ordinary, and know how to report or solve any problems that arise.
When employees are out of the office it is vital that they feel comfortable with these processes without the immediate, on-site assistance of their IT teams or line managers. Make sure that all staff have received up-to-date training and are happy with their new remote set up.
Ensure that all devices being used to access company data have up-to-date antivirus software installed on them and automate any updates if you can. Making sure that updates are done as quickly as possible help to patch any holes or weak spots in previous versions and can be essential for preventing a data breach.
A great option for keeping your data secure while preserving remote access is by using a data centre. Data centres are a terrific option and can come with a range of additional security benefits, such as specialist physical 24/7 security. As well as being able to access data remotely, data centres allow for the deployment of firewalls and antivirus software across your entire network. You can read more about data centres here.
Another thing to consider when working remotely is using a secure connection. While it is easier in these current times to avoid public spaces and unsafe public WiFi connections, the security of your connection is still important. Ensure your WiFi is password protected and you can control who has access to the network.
We would highly recommend using a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN is essentially a secure passage for you to access the world wide web. Cybercriminals will look to exploit a range of areas, so it is important that your browsing and online activity is protected.
Keeping data secure needn’t be a worry for your business, our team are still working remotely and are available to help you with any issues that may arise when working from home. Whether you’re struggling to keep the connection or need some advice on how to implement these strategies on a longer-term basis then please get in touch with a member of our team.
