In recent years, the collection and use of data has become increasingly common in businesses of all sizes. With the rise of remote work, hybrid employees have become increasingly commonplace in many businesses. This shift in workplace practices brings both benefits and risks, as it generates new data but also poses new data related challenges that businesses need to prepare for in the long-term.
Here are five key recommendations for businesses to reduce risks and keep company data secure, especially for employees working in a hybrid environment:
1. Policies and procedures
Hybrid work has uncovered many challenges when it comes to management of personal data. With employees working both remotely and in physical work locations, businesses must take extra measures to ensure that sensitive data is handled securely, no matter the location of the employee.
For this reason, clear policies and procedures for managing company data are essential. This ensures that employees are properly trained on how to handle data responsibly and mitigates the possibility of a security incident.
2. Company issued devices
For hybrid workers, it is essential that they are provided with company-issued devices to work on at home. This provides the most secure solution as these devices can be supported and updated regularly by IT departments to manage security risks. Not only can IT use remote management tools to monitor devices and ensure they have the latest security patches, but they can also remotely wipe devices if they are lost or stolen, protecting your business data in the event it gets into unwanted hands.
If a company issued device is not possible, ensure you provide the employee with a corporate cloud solution to store their work. This storage should only be accessible via a secure password and will prevent employees from storing valuable work information on their personal device.
3. Complex passwords
This may seem like an obvious one, but having a complex password is critical for security because it makes it harder for hackers to crack your password. Anything that can easily be easily guessed like a pet name, anniversary or even just the word ‘password’, can drastically increase your risk of a major security breach.
A strong password should be at least 12 characters long and contain a combination of letters, numbers and symbols that are not recognisable as a particular word or pattern. With employees taking their devices for work between the office and home, having a complex password could be the difference between avoiding a security incident and notifying customers of a data reach.
4. Restrict access
Employees should only have access to files or systems which directly relate to their job. In limiting access, this practice can enhance data security as it prevents a user from accessing sensitive data. For example, a junior employee may not require access to the company’s financial reports or client data base. However, providing them with access places the business at risk of a data breach as the employee may be unaware of the correct data security practices and unknowingly share sensitive information.
Providing restricted access can also help you react to security breaches quicker as it is easier to monitor activity and track the source of a breach. If a breach does occur, having a smaller list of candidates to vet can make it much easier to identify the source of the breach and stop the attack before it gets worse.
5. Phishing emails
Hackers are getting more sophisticated, and an employee clicking on a seemingly unsuspecting email could be the reason for a significant data breach in your organisation. These emails can be hard to detect as they often masquerade as reputable sources such as banks, large corporations or even someone within your organisation in order to get the recipient to trust the source and click on the malicious attachment or link. It is essential to train employees on how to spot these phishing emails to prevent personal data from being stolen.
Training programs designed to help employees recongise the warning signs of phishing emails can significantly reduce the chance of staff unknowingly providing sensitive information to a fraudulent source. Implanting a two-factor authentication program adds an extra level of security for your hybrid workers all while making it more difficult for hackers to access to accounts.
Further support from Grace Information Management
In an era of mass information, the proper management of business data is crucial. At Grace Information Management, we prioritise preserving and protecting your information and treat your business data as the valuable asset it is. Contact us today to discuss how we can help create a customised solution for your business.
