Tips for Securing Remote Workers

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As more and more employees are mandated to work from home, security and non-security professionals alike are left wondering what they can do to keep their data and systems safe. To help with this, we’ve compiled a list of some of the key things you can do to ensure your defenses are up—on or off the corporate network.

Tips for securing remote workers:

Steer clear of public Wi-Fi. While it’s true that most of us are socially isolating ourselves at home. It’s still important to remember to avoid public Wi-Fi networks, if they are an option. These types of networks are much less secure and open you up to a whole host of vulnerabilities. Use personal networks, hot spots, or some way to encrypt your web connection whenever possible.
Automatically push updates. Your security solution should be able to automatically push security and policy updates to your devices—regardless of if they are on the corporate network. This includes updates to applications. Per regulations, these updates should go out every Tuesday evening.
Separate networks. If you have the technical acumen, put your laptop on one router network, and all other devices on a second. Additionally, you should be the only systems administrator on your network and all devices that connect to it.
See what’s happening on your endpoints. As a security practitioner, it shouldn’t matter if devices are on or off the corporate network—you should be able to see what’s happening on them and spot abnormal behavior. Ensure your endpoint security solution gives you this type of granular visibility, on and offline.
Educate your workforce. Make sure your employees know how to see and stop common attacks (like phishing). Due to the current climate, you may need to send out additional training or refreshers to help your workforce recognize potential threats.
Update passwords frequently. Your employees should be changing their passwords every few months—this becomes more important than ever when they are off the corporate network. Additionally, update your router password—use a full sentence for maximum security.
Two Factor Authentication (2FA). 2FA adds an additional step to the process of accessing critical data. The first step being a username and password, and the second step being additional verification (like a pin or a push). Enabling 2FA ensures that the user logging in as an employee is truly who they say they are.