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How To Ensure Data Security When Your Team Are Working From Home

How To Ensure Data Security When Your Team Are Working From Home

The Covid-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of daily life in the UK, with homeworking now commonplace for increasing numbers of people. Some industry experts predict that many workers will, at least on a part-time basis, continue to work at home once Covid-19 is consigned to history.

Get Expert Advice Today Transferring large numbers of employees from the workplace to their homes takes time and planning. However, due to the sudden onslaught of Covid-19 and the Government’s decision to lock down the country, many businesses have been unable to carry out detailed advance planning.

Security concerns may not have been addressed but, with the lockdown likely to continue in some form over the summer (2020), it’s not too late to address the critical areas of concern:

 

1. Data Security

Phishing attacks and online scams can jeopardise a company’s operation, or at least inflict severe financial or reputational damage, for example, if sensitive information is leaked. Securing business data is, therefore, vital, but employees must still be able to access the necessary data to perform their roles.

Solutions to the problem of remote data access include implementing layered security. This is achieved by increasing access controls from remote locations, providing employees with a single sign-on to a secure web portal. Multi-factor authentication ensures that the employee signing onto a portal is who they say they are, and automatic scanning of emails eradicates the threat of harmful attachments.

 

2. A Culture Of Responsibility

When employees are working from the office, they’re familiar with their company’s security structure, so a rapid switch to homeworking may allow complacency to creep in. Each staff member has a shared responsibility to ensure data and systems are secure: vigilance is the key.

High-quality training reduces the chance of staff falling foul of a cyberattack while working from home. Cybercriminals are adept at changing their tactics and devising increasingly convincing methods, so regular preventative training must be provided, even when employees are working remotely.

 

3. Monitoring Unusual Activity

Mobile technology is central to increased productivity, more responsive customer service, and informed decision making. However, the use of mobile devices increases the risk of data breaches, so intense scrutiny of their usage can help identify potential dangers. Unusual or erratic log in times, logins from unfamiliar locations, or repeated failed attempts to gain access to systems could indicate that the device has been compromised.

 

Life After Lockdown

Once the UK has lifted restrictions, working life will return to normal, probably in gradual stages. An ongoing proactive approach to protecting your data security is essential, including on mobile devices that may have accumulated large amounts of sensitive data during the lockdown. ADISA-accredited data sanitisation will ensure that all data is permanently eradicated from storage devices to prevent harmful leaks of information. To find out more about Absolute ITAD’s services, please give us a call today.

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