How to Implement Secure Remote Working Protocols Post-Pandemic
WatServ
May 17, 2022
It has been over two years since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. As every office-based worker and manager will remember, suddenly being told that it was impossible to come to work was quite a shock. Most companies managed to implement remote working protocols that got them through that initial period where working from home (WFH) was a new experience.
Now with remote and hybrid work becoming more long-term, there are several questions that executives need to ask such as:
- Are we now maintaining a permanent WFH option – full-time or hybrid?
- Have we created a post-pandemic security strategy that moves us on from the emergency solution and protects against cybersecurity attacks moving into the future?
- Have we redefined our Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) and VPN policies since the pandemic?
There is an important theme to all these questions. Many companies simply did what was needed to create a virtual work environment. People went home and worked from their kitchen or couch using laptops and a home Wi-Fi connection.
This allowed companies to operate, but if their security was entirely built around employees being in the office then it certainly isn’t secure now (or back then). Some changes may have been applied in the last two years, but now is the time to take a strategic look at how your remote working protocols will work into the long-term – especially if you are making significant changes, such as fully adopting hybrid work options.
Remote work helped companies to manage pandemic lockdowns, but also reduced operational costs and improved productivity, however unless you have engaged in a post-pandemic security assessment there is now an increased risk of cyberattacks.
Some of the key tips we would suggest right now are:
- Migrate applications and storage into the cloud using end point protection so access and security can be easily controlled wherever employees are working – this makes hybrid options far easier to manage.
- Find a partner to help you with the cloud migration, but ensure that they are compliant with SOC 2 type II criteria if you want to ensure real security.
- Train your employees – malware can still get into your network if employees are not vigilant. Make sure your entire team knows how security can be breached by creating a training program and ongoing security culture.
- Review your BYOD policies. It can work for some companies, but you need to build a security strategy around this.
- Use a corporate VPN to ensure employees have an additional layer of remote protection.
- Create a zero-trust culture – security training is just the start. The entire culture of the company needs to emphasize how to reduce risk.
All these measures can go a long way to creating a post-pandemic secure environment for your business in a way that still encourages collaboration and teamwork.
Cyberattacks happen all the time. Some companies are attacked daily. A smart choice to safeguard your IT infrastructure and digital assets is WatServ’s fully managed Cloud Computing Security Operations Centre as-a Service (SOCaaS) solution. Click here to find out more about how we can help you to identify and manage risks as you transform your infrastructure for a post-pandemic business environment.
About
WatServ is an IT solutions provider that helps organizations digitally transform through cloud technologies and managed services.
Serving clients as a trusted advisor since 2006, WatServ provides experience-tested, strategic solutions across all stages of the digital transformation journey. Clients choose WatServ to migrate infrastructure and applications to the cloud, secure critical data, implement disaster recovery, deploy virtual desktop, enable data-readiness for productivity solutions and manage IT environments.
Our clients span a broad range of industries, and we’re a global supplier of IT services for many Brookfield Portfolio Companies. To help our mid-size clients, we provide scalable offerings that simplify cloud adoption and drive business optimization. For enterprise clients, we co-create cloud solutions that enable stability and efficiency for complex IT tools and processes.
With more than 15 years of experience, WatServ has a track record of delivering quantifiable business results and a superior client experience. Ranked as one of Canada’s Top 100 Solution Providers for the last three years in a row, WatServ is always on.
