NORCROSS, GA / ACCESSWIRE / April 13, 2021 / Remote work may be nothing new for some workers, but 2020 saw vast swaths of the workforce asked to work from home for the first time - and most companies simply were not prepared for the consequences. Some 88% of businesses encouraged or required their employees to work remotely after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but far fewer had the right infrastructure in place for making that transition safely.
Just in the past few months, 1 in 5 firms have suffered a digital security breach due to a remote worker. With the COVID era far from over, that number could be expected to grow significantly over time. For most businesses, returning to the office is not an option in the immediate future; what they need is a huge boost in their cybersecurity.
Securing the Telecommute
Even companies that have invested in cybersecurity in the past were likely blindsided by the threats incurred through widespread remote work. Simply put, traditional systems aren't doing the trick anymore. Businesses need cyber solutions that are specifically designed to facilitate remote teams if they want to secure their digital office - that's where IT training and certification company IBEX IT Business Experts steps in.
IBEX recently partnered with Verizon in order to offer wide access to the telecommunications company's robust suite of security tools. Chief among them is Verizon's Network Detection and Response platform, which uses the latest in cybersecurity technology to detect, analyze, and halt threats as they happen. NDR, when coupled with certification and training courses provided by IBEX, can form the foundation of an ironclad defense for your remote workforce.
The quest for network security doesn't end there, though: there are always a number of things you can do to ensure that your virtual office stays as safe as possible. For doing so, IBEX suggests:
1. Educating your workforce
Whether it's through phishing emails or out-of-network requests, your workers are the most common targets of cyberattacks. The first step towards protecting your company digitally is educating your employees on how to identify, avoid, and respond to cyber threats. While even the best courses couldn't provide your company with complete protection, making sure your workers know the basics of cybersecurity gives your business the added layer of protection that it needs.
2. Outfitting your remote workers
Once your teams are educated, you need to make sure that they have the right equipment as well. In the office, you can regularly update software or replace old computers with new ones; if your workers are at home, though, it can be difficult to know exactly how robust their security systems really are. Supply your remote employees with company hardware and software that you know to be secure. It may not be cheap, but the expenses pale in comparison to what an avoidable security breach could cost you.
3. Connecting with the cloud
Your business probably has some existing, server-based networks or programs in place - that's fine, but they should have cloud-based security backing them up. "Virtual software can fill in any gaps that older systems may have," says IBEX CEO and President Tracey Grace, emphasizing the importance of supplementing your existing infrastructure with programs that can evolve to combat new threats over time.
4. Hacking your own system
As canny as modern cybercriminals may be, they're no more capable than your IT team is. With the right training, IT professionals can learn to identify network vulnerabilities before malicious actors do, plugging all holes before any leaks appear.
By getting the right information to your workers and backing up that training with state-of-the-art software, you can safeguard your business against even some of the most advanced cyberattacks. Remote work isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so making the right investments now will have an outsize impact down the line.
Contact:
Maggie Carter
678-752-7542 ex. 123
[email protected]
SOURCE: IBEX IT Business Experts LLC