Since the lockdown, remote work and home office have become an integral part of our everyday lives – we now work “hybrid” and “from anywhere”. However, when it comes to IT security, this poses considerable challenges that IT managers must respond to.
There are many reasons for this: not enough laptops in the household, insecure access or shared passwords are just the tip of the iceberg, because the new home workers often work with so-called “shadow IT” by using their own applications and apps. All this offers hackers new targets for attack.
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IT Security Must Also Be Awareness-Raising
The facts are clear. According to studies, 80% of all data leaks can be traced back to weak, reused or stolen passwords. Everyone involved must therefore be made aware of the need to behave in a »cybersmart« manner at home as well. And: companies should ensure that they reach their employees with this message (e.g. with an information page and a permanent communication channel for such matters).
The »New Normal«: Also An Opportunity For IT Security
On the other hand, the new circumstances are also a historic opportunity for companies to sharpen their defenses from an implementation and security perspective: Above all, Security-as-a-Service and strong passwords that protect employees and business well are the basics against viruses and other malware. They help the home office workforce and businesses to be truly cyber secure.
Man: Unfortunately, The Weakest Link In The Security Chain
Employees who do not change passwords or who use the same passwords across many user accounts – unfortunately, the human being is often the weakest link in the security chain. When it comes to access management, everyone should therefore understand that poor password hygiene (do not change default passwords, password reuse or weak passwords) increases the chance of becoming a victim of a hacker.
The Essential Cybersecurity Tips For Home Office Workers
Working from home also means documents are more openly accessible to others, even just family. That’s why it’s more important than ever that all programs have long, randomly generated passwords. A password manager can do this by generating and storing unique passwords for each login. Usernames and passwords are then stored in a “safe” where they are encrypted and organized. These products are highly cost-effective for improving homeworker cybersecurity. The fact is: A password manager can be seamlessly and easily integrated into the workflow. They also often use multi-factor authentication, which provides additional security, especially when employees log in from different locations.
Also Read: Internet For work From Home