Network Security: Do Remote Workers Compromise Your Data?

If your company offers opportunities for remote workers, you’re not alone. The gig economy has created an environment for large and small companies to gain valuable team members, without the commitment and expense of hiring permanent employees. Many companies also find that offering a work-from-home option is a valuable perk for their current staff.

There’s no doubt that remote work solutions can benefit your company culture and productivity. But what does it do to your IT security?

A Secure Network for Remote Workers

Securing your data must be a top priority. According to recent data, 60 percent of small businesses that experience a data breach will go out of business. Cyber-attacks can compromise your reputation and cost a great deal of time and money to fix.

So, when you start to think about remote workers in your company, you need to consider how you’re securing their network. If you’re unconcerned about this, it’s an issue. Remote workers can pose a serious risk to your internal data, especially if they’re logging into your database from unsecured locations.

These issues don’t make using a remote workforce too risky. It just means that your network security protocol needs to be more robust to accommodate the habits of your workforce and guard against possible breaches.

Tips to Strengthen Your Network for All Employees

Many companies have a variety of workers. They use freelancers for certain initiatives, have full-time, on-premise employees, and still offer other employees the benefit of working remotely on set days. This paradigm is common. You want a security plan that meets the needs of your company based on the way that your staff works.

Here are some ideas for companies that use remote workers and freelance talent:

  • Cloud Computing.Cloud computing allows your employees to log in to your database from any location. The benefit here is that the cloud computing service offers a secure environment so that hackers and any malicious attack should be detected and deflected.
  • Assess Your Access Protocols.Not every employee needs (nor should they have) unlimited access to all your data. Take some time to review your access protocols. Assign access to team members based on the data that they need to meet their responsibilities. Another good protocol is to log employee access so that you can easily see which employees have accessed information, made changes to files, etc.
  • Provide Security Applications for Remote Devices.Providing the right security for your employee’s devices can help protect your network overall.
  • Ban Use of Public Networks.Employees should never use public Wi-Fi to access your database. Make it mandatory that your employees only use a secured network.

Are You Interested in Using Best Practice Protocols to Secure Your Network for Remote Workers?

If you’re concerned about the safety of your data or want a consultation to help you set up best practice protocols for your remote workers, contact Integrated Axis today. Our dedicated professionals can assess your process and help you find the best IT security solutions.