With the rise of working from home, business managers face additional challenges regarding cybersecurity. Ensuring data protection and information integrity has become an essential concern. In this article, we provide guidance aimed at business managers. The aim is to assist them in implementing effective cybersecurity measures for their employees to work from home.
In the year 2022 alone, there were 103.16 billion attempted cyber attacks in Brazil. Connectivity becomes more essential every day and this situation threatens not only digital activities, but all spheres of Brazilian society. This includes the country’s economy and democracy. This and other data are from the Center for Technology and Society (CTS) at the FGV Rio de Janeiro School of Law.
Before listing the best practice measures that you should adopt in your team’s home office, let’s understand some concepts.
What is Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is how we protect our information on the internet. It’s a way to stay safe from online attacks and intrusions. It involves taking steps to protect our devices, data and networks from digital threats. This includes using strong passwords, security software and practicing safe internet browsing.
Cybersecurity is essential to prevent personal information theft, cyberattacks and other types of cybercrime.
What are cyber threats?
Cyber threats are dangers on the internet. These are malicious actions done by hackers and digital criminals. They try to hack into our devices, steal information or cause harm.
Cyber threats include viruses, phishing, malware and hacker attacks. These threats can compromise our online security, steal personal and financial data, and disrupt our internet activities. It is important to be aware of these threats and take steps to protect against them.
Social engineering
Social engineering is a technique used by cybercriminals to manipulate and deceive people by taking advantage of their trust and innocence. Scammers use psychological strategies to obtain advanced information such as passwords or personal data. They use persuasion techniques, such as impersonating someone trustworthy or creating urgent situations. It is important to be aware of these scams and not share sensitive information with unknown people or in suspicious situations.
Phishing
Phishing is online fraud. Fake messages are sent to deceive people by posing as legitimate institutions. The aim is to trick victims into revealing information such as passwords, credit card numbers or bank details.
Scammers use persuasion techniques and create fake websites that look like the real thing. The aim is to deceive people and steal their personal information. It is important to be careful when opening suspicious emails. Instruct your employees to verify the trust of senders and avoid clicking on links or providing personal information on untrustworthy sites.
Zero Trust
The Zero Trust policy is a cybersecurity model. It consists of not trusting anyone or device, even within the internal network. Instead, require constant authentication and identity checks to ensure secure access to resources. This approach seeks to minimize the risks of security breaches by adopting a mindset of constant distrust.
How to keep the Home Office away from cyberattacks?
Check out a list of important tips that you, the manager, can follow. There are seven essential steps that aim to increase security in the remote work environment of your employees.
Establish a cybersecurity policy
To ensure data security, it is critical to establish a clear cybersecurity policy. This involves defining guidelines and best practices for employees to follow while working remotely. Educate them on the importance of cybersecurity by educating them on good practices. Some examples are using strong passwords, regularly updating software, and awareness of phishing and social engineering.
Provide network security tools
Equipping employees with the right tools is crucial to ensuring cybersecurity in the home office. Make sure they have access to up-to-date antivirus software, firewalls, and malware protection solutions. Also, provide a corporate virtual private network (VPN) so employees can access internal resources securely and encrypted. These measures will help protect company data from external threats.
Promote cybersecurity awareness
Employee awareness of cybersecurity is key to mitigating risks in the home office. Conduct regular training and provide clear guidance on good security practices.
Explain how to prevent unauthorized sharing of information. Talk about using public Wi-Fi networks without protection and identifying common threats such as phishing and social engineering attacks. Nurture a cybersecurity culture across your organization.
Establish access policies and privileges
Defining clear access and privilege policies is essential to protect the company’s personal data. Ensure each employee has access to only the information they need to perform their tasks. Implement two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever possible to add an extra layer of security to employee systems and accounts. Also, regularly monitor and review access privileges to ensure they are compatible and up-to-date.
Make regular data backups
Ensuring data integrity is essential in the home office. Perform regular backups of critical company files and systems. This helps prevent data loss in case of hardware failures, ransomware attacks or other incidents. Be sure to store backups in safe places and regularly test their effectiveness to ensure reliable data recovery when needed.
Monitor and detect threats in real time
Implement security monitoring systems to identify and respond to potential cyber threats in real time. Use intrusion detection, log analysis, and network monitoring tools to identify suspicious activity. This will enable a quick and effective response to security incidents, minimizing the potential impact on company data and systems.
Stay current with security best practices
Cybersecurity is an ever-evolving field, so it’s essential for business owners to stay up-to-date with best practices and trends. Keep up with security updates, attend cybersecurity-related webinars and events, and keep an eye on emerging threats. By staying current, you can take proactive steps to protect your people and data from the latest threats.
Read more at: Scenario of profound changes in the market requires companies to adapt and innovate
Conclusion
Business managers play a crucial role in addressing cybersecurity challenges in the home office. They can ensure employee productivity and data protection. Implementing cybersecurity measures, promoting awareness and following best practices are critical.
These actions help create a safe and secure environment for remote work. By adopting these measures, companies can minimize the risks and enjoy the benefits of working from home without compromising data security.
