How to Decrease Cybersecurity Threats For Remote Workers

Remote workers and workforces are here to stay. And that’s a good thing for employees and employers everywhere. Hiring managers and recruiters are even using these remote work lifestyle options as perks to recruit and hire job candidates
 
There are challenges with remote work environments, however, and one of those challenges is cybersecurity. With a few precautions and some proactive IT measures, employers will be able to sleep better knowing that their businesses and their valued employees are safe from cyber-attacks.
 
According to cybersecurity software giant Kaspersky: The fear of being put at risk from within can be seen clearly in the fact that for businesses, the top three cybersecurity fears are all related to human factors and employee behavior.
 
Employees at all levels can be the targets of cyberattacks, all the way up to executive management. In fact, executives are quite often the target of phishing, digital extortion, and ransomware attacks.
In the words of comedian Steven Wright “Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.”
In this post, we’re going to discuss several ways to put your fears of cyberattacks on remote workers to rest. Hopefully, we’ll help you get some of that requisite experience before you need it.
 
Cybersecurity is a highly technical, specialized IT practice. But with a few precautions, IT measures, and some targeted employee training, you can provide some excellent protection for your remote workers and your business’s digital and financial assets.
 
In this post, we’re going to discuss cybersecurity in the context of user awareness, especially remote worker awareness.
 
Provide some formal cybersecurity training for all employees, especially those who occasionally, or always, work remotely.
 
Two of the most common types of cyberattacks are phishing and ransomware. These attacks are usually initiated by targeting one of your unsuspecting employees or executives with an innocent-looking email.
 
These emails can attempt to harvest sensitive information, like passwords and bank accounts, directly, or they may contain links to malicious websites and/or malware in the form of attachments.
 
In today’s remote workforce ecosystem, employers have to be conscious of cyber threats and vulnerabilities. You can circumvent many of these types of attacks simply by educating your workforce on what to look for in suspicious messages.
 
Have an incident response plan ready, if and when there is a security incident.
Make sure you have a blameless culture when it comes to cybersecurity. This will ensure that all remote workers and employees will not hesitate to report a security breach.
 
According to online business information provider Cox BLUE, “Cyber security is an ever-present risk for small businesses, and employers may not realize that their employees present the greatest exposure—even when their intentions are good.”
 
Make sure you have a response plan to isolate any potentially infected systems and information immediately. This will only be possible if any cyber threats or incidents are reported early in the process.
 
Contact local law enforcement.
Especially if you are being asked to pay any kind of ransom. Also, depending on the nature of your business information, law enforcement may be able to offer you some specialized assistance.
 
If your digital information is regulated, for example, HIPAA or PCI, you may be able to access additional federal, state, or local resources.
 
With some fundamental training and formalized response planning, you can mitigate a significant amount of risk posed by cyberattacks on remote workers.
 
Decrease Your Hiring Risk
If you’re a hiring manager or human resources professional with a job search, or searches, underway, you can mitigate your hiring risk by engaging with the recruiting professionals at mCubed Staffing.
 
We help clients just like you find that perfect candidate every day! Call us today at (248) 817-2243, or get in touch online. Our expert recruiters are waiting for your call.