The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically reshaped the work environment, accelerating the adoption of remote work. Even after the pandemic, many organizations continue to embrace remote or hybrid workplace models. In 2024, approximately 37% of US job seekers[1] are interested in fully remote positions, and many employees are willing to accept a slight reduction in pay for the opportunity to work remotely.
While working from home or virtually anywhere can be a blessing for employees, it presents significant challenges for IT teams and cybersecurity professionals due to the numerous security issues arising from remote work. Reports also suggest a significant increase in attempted cyberattacks, reaching 104% in 2023[2].
In this blog, we will explore the top security risks associated with remote work and recommend best practices for companies to mitigate these risks.
Common Security Risks of Remote Working
Whether operating from a remote location or using a combination of remote, hybrid, and in-office work, various situations can increase your company’s risk of cyberattacks and data breaches.
Below are some primary cybersecurity threats linked to a remote work structure:
1. Increased Avenues of Attack
As more employees work from home, the potential for cyber attacks on companies grows. This increase is due to the rise in endpoint devices, unsecured hardware, and vulnerable network connections.
2. Management of Devices
Remote employees often use their personal devices to access sensitive business information. These unprotected devices pose a significant risk to cybersecurity. Without proper device management, companies may struggle to identify the devices responsible for data breaches.
3. Lack of Visibility into Remote Activity
Monitoring the digital footprints of remote employees is a significant challenge. Without the IT team’s awareness, an employee might unknowingly download harmful software or access insecure websites, exposing the company’s sensitive information to security threats.
4. Unauthorized Access
Improperly secured systems can allow unauthorized users to gain access. Hackers can exploit software vulnerabilities or guess weak passwords to infiltrate the system.
5. Phishing Scams
Phishing attacks are among the most prevalent cyber threats for remote workers. Attackers often pose as credible sources, typically through email, to deceive targets into providing their login details or other confidential information. This data is then used to access accounts and perform malicious actions.
For instance, a hacker might trick an employee into revealing their account information by sending an email that appears to be from a trusted source. The link directs them to a fake login page designed to steal their login details. In more sophisticated phishing schemes, fraudsters use harmful scripts that employ address autocomplete APIs to make fake websites appear more legitimate, increasing the chances of deception.
To address these risks, companies need to train their staff on the risks of phishing and install email filtering tools to identify and prevent suspicious emails.
How Does UEM Help With Remote Work Cybersecurity?
Remote work has increased the possible avenues for cyberattacks, as previously mentioned. This new approach has heightened the dependence on IT infrastructure and communication technologies, which can be exploited by cyber threats. Phishing scams, data breaches, and ransomware attacks are becoming increasingly common. Additionally, the increased use of personal devices and unsafe networks in remote work environments exacerbates these dangers.
Implementing Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) is considered one of the most efficient methods to reduce the security hazards associated with remote work.
UEM is a productive and tactical answer for tackling every security challenge of remote work. It combines the characteristics of traditional mobile management solutions, like Mobile Device Management (MDM), for managing on-premise and remote end-user devices.
By utilizing UEM, IT teams can monitor and safeguard various devices within the organization, including PCs, smartphones, tablets, laptops, and wearables, regardless of their location or operating system. This enhances security and boosts productivity for companies that support remote work policies.
10 Remote Work Security Best Practices For Companies
Here are some proven best practices for remote work security:
1. Use Robust Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for Security Measures
Adding multiple-factor authentication enhances the security of your employees’ accounts. MFA requires multiple verification methods beyond just a password, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorized access. These methods can include a password, a secret code, a security token, or biometric verification such as a fingerprint.
An MDM or UEM solution can be employed to deploy MFA effectively. These tools enforce MFA across all user devices, including desktops and smartphones, ensuring only authorized users can access the company’s sensitive resources.
2. Enforce a Strong Password Policy
Implementing a strong password policy is one of the most crucial security best practices for remote work. Encourage employees to use complex, unique passwords for all systems and change them regularly.
An MDM or UEM solution can help enforce strong password policies by requiring employees to use complex passwords that meet organizational security standards. These tools also ensure passwords are updated regularly, helping mitigate cyber threats associated with weak passwords.
3. Secure Remote Devices With MDM
Monitoring the security status of all digital devices used for remote work is crucial. MDM serves as a central hub for securing and managing all remote devices, including desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets.
For instance, in a web designing company, employees often use different devices for designing, coding, and client communication. In this case, MDM enables your IT team to enforce consistent security settings across all devices, ensure current software reduces vulnerabilities, and remotely wipe compromised devices to safeguard sensitive data in case of loss or theft.
This is particularly beneficial when employees use their personal devices for work, adding an extra layer of security to protect your company’s data.
4. Consistently Update and Patch Systems
Keeping all devices, software, and operating systems up-to-date is essential for security. Cybercriminals often exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software, making regular updates and patches crucial for defense against attacks.
An effective patch management system ensures all systems are updated promptly and thoroughly. MDM and UEM solutions can automate the updating and patching process, ensuring all devices receive the latest security updates.
5. Promote Safe and Encrypted Wi-Fi Connections
Remote workers often face the challenge of accessing sensitive company data through open and unsecured connections. Public Wi-Fi networks are particularly vulnerable to cybercriminals, making company data susceptible to hacking as it moves between the unsecured server and the user’s device.
To mitigate this risk, encourage employees to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) managed through a UEM solution when accessing company data remotely. This ensures that all communications are securely encrypted, significantly reducing the chance of data interception.
6. Enable Remote Wipe Capabilities
Imagine a missing or stolen device containing important company data. In such situations, remote wipe capabilities provided by MDM or UEM platforms act as a virtual fire extinguisher.
This feature allows IT administrators to remotely erase all data from the compromised device, preventing unauthorized access and potential data breaches. It is an essential security measure for any company with remote workers using personal devices for work.
7. Take Regular Backups
Regularly backing up data to an offsite and highly secure location is a crucial remote working security best practice. This measure helps prevent data loss in the event of a cyberattack. Many companies prefer immutable backups, which cannot be deleted or altered.
Ensure you have robust backup processes in place for all your company’s valuable data and resources. Additionally, secure these backups to prevent them from becoming targets for hackers.
8. Limit Access Privileges
Many companies implement the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP) policy, which is one of the best practices for access management. This policy minimizes each user’s exposure to confidential parts of the network by granting them access only to the information and systems necessary for their work.
UEM solutions provide role-based access control, clearly defining roles and permissions. This enhances security and improves compliance by ensuring access is limited to what is essential for each employee’s role.
9. Monitor and Manage Network Traffic
Remote workers connect to corporate networks from various devices and locations, making network traffic monitoring and management critical to cybersecurity.
UEM solutions can help regulate network traffic to and from remote devices within an organization’s network infrastructure. By monitoring network traffic patterns, these solutions can identify inconsistencies that may indicate potential security threats, such as unusual data transfer volumes, unauthorized access attempts, or suspicious interaction patterns that deviate from normal behavior.
10. Provide Comprehensive Security Awareness Training
Given that many cyberattacks infiltrate organizations through unsuspecting employees, it is crucial to equip remote workers with the skills and support they need to be the first line of defense.
Regular and ongoing security training helps employees understand, identify, and avoid potential threats, such as unsecured websites and phishing emails. Keeping employees informed about the latest emerging threats can enhance their awareness and vigilance. Additionally, conducting simulated phishing exercises can provide real-world examples of what to watch out for, further strengthening their ability to protect against cyber threats.
Secure Remote Work With Scalefusion
The widespread adoption of remote work underscores the necessity for a robust cybersecurity strategy. Remote work setups introduce various vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit, potentially leading to significant data breaches.
Businesses must understand the potential security threats associated with remote work and implement strong measures to safeguard their confidential data. Ultimately, the effectiveness of a company’s security measures in today’s era depends on its ability to adapt, innovate, and consistently address the evolving threat of cybercrime.
An MDM or UEM solution like Scalefusion offers extensive capabilities for securing corporate data on devices or endpoints, regardless of their location. Speak to our experts and get a live demo. Sign up for a 14-day free trial!
References:
1. Robert Half
2. Armis
