The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many businesses to adopt remote work as a new norm. However, this also exposes them to greater cybersecurity risks, such as data breaches, phishing, ransomware, and insider threats. How can you protect your organization and your employees from these challenges? Here are some strategies for managing cybersecurity risks in remote work.
Before you implement any security measures, you need to identify and prioritize your risks. What are the most valuable and sensitive data and assets that you need to protect? What are the most likely and impactful threats that you face? How prepared are you to prevent, detect, and respond to these threats? You can use frameworks such as NIST or ISO to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment and develop a risk management plan.
One of the most important factors for cybersecurity is human behavior. Your employees need to be aware of the best practices and policies for remote work, such as using strong passwords, encrypting data, avoiding public Wi-Fi, and verifying links and attachments. You should also provide regular training and updates on the latest cyber threats and how to avoid them. Make sure your employees know how to report and escalate any suspicious or malicious activity.
Effective cybersecurity strategy involves risk assessment, access control, employee training, regular updates, and robust incident response plans.
Another key aspect of cybersecurity is the technical infrastructure that supports remote work. You need to ensure that your devices and networks are secure and updated. For example, you can use VPNs, firewalls, antivirus software, and multi-factor authentication to protect your connections and data. You can also use device management tools to monitor, control, and wipe your devices remotely in case of loss or theft. Additionally, you should backup your data regularly and have a disaster recovery plan in case of an emergency.
VPN is old technology and has several issues when it comes to security. If a threat actor gets control of the remote device, they can easily access the enterprise system over the VPN. A better solution is to move towards zero-trust and SASE type solutions for remote access.
Cybersecurity is not only a technical issue, but also a governance issue. You need to have clear and consistent policies and procedures for remote work that align with your business objectives and legal obligations. For example, you should define the roles and responsibilities of your employees, managers, and IT staff regarding cybersecurity. You should also establish the rules and standards for data access, sharing, storage, and disposal. Furthermore, you should audit and update your policies and procedures periodically to reflect the changing environment and needs.
Cybersecurity is not a solo effort, but a collective one. You need to collaborate with your partners, such as suppliers, customers, and regulators, to ensure that you have a consistent and coordinated approach to cybersecurity. For example, you should communicate your expectations and requirements for cybersecurity to your partners and verify that they comply with them. You should also share information and best practices on cybersecurity with your partners and learn from their experiences. Additionally, you should have a contingency plan for how to handle any incidents or breaches that involve your partners.
Finally, you need to test and improve your strategy for managing cybersecurity risks in remote work. You should not assume that your strategy is effective and sufficient, but rather measure and evaluate its performance and impact. For example, you can conduct simulations, audits, and surveys to test your security controls, processes, and awareness. You should also collect and analyze feedback and data from your employees, partners, and customers to identify any gaps or weaknesses in your strategy. Moreover, you should adapt and update your strategy based on the results and the evolving cyber landscape.