Remote work, which seemed distant to some companies before the Covid-19 pandemic, is now part of the daily life of many. What was supposed to be an emergency solution will likely have a lasting impact on how people work. This is what a study by professor André Miceli, ofFundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV), points out, concluding that the format should grow about 30% when activities return to normal. In this scenario, in which online operations are increasingly present, one of the actions that should be prioritized is the cybersecurity of systems and applications.
To have an idea of the current dimension of cybercrimes, data from Fortinet Threat Intelligence Latin America show that, in the month of March alone, when the coronavirus pandemic led to social isolation mandates, there were approximately 600 new phishing campaigns per day in most countries. The attacks occur through malicious links, which lead the user to provide personal data on fake pages or download files through illegal software. The goal is to control devices and steal information.
This situation is aggravated by professionals working remotely using their home networks. But that’s not where the problems end. There are several other types of virtual attacks that can compromise operations and cause millions in losses for companies. Therefore, it’s essential to protect yourself.
Cybersecurity: 9 valuable tips for enterprise information security
As mentioned above, organizations can suffer from numerous cyber attacks that are facilitated by remote work, such as spyware, ransomware, hijack, and DDoS. Thinking of helping to ensure the security of their data and applications, we have compiled a list of 9 things you should do to promote cybersecurity both now and in the future :
1. Creating policies and raising employee awareness
The first steps to guarantee that information security measures are successful are to establish clear policies and make employees aware of the importance of following them. In addition, you need to continuously train the teams about the threats that can hinder processes and what precautions to take to protect themselves from each of them, as well as to clearly and directly show how harmful cyber threats can be for employees and company.
2. Investing in cryptography
Cryptography solutions for e-mails and files can significantly help with cybersecurity. The benefit is that their implementation is simplified and does not depend on high investments by companies. For those who don’t know, the practice refers to building and analyzing protocols that prevent malicious users from reading private messages.
3. Installing a VPN
Installing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) which, as the name implies, creates communication networks between computers and devices with restricted access, is also a good strategy for protecting data during remote work. To do that, you can use the infrastructure that already exists in operating systems or open solutions.
4. Using authentication solutions
The two-factor or two-step authentication consists of the user entering a password, followed by a code provided through SMS, tokens, or other resources. Because the codes change constantly, cybercriminals cannot gain access to systems and data.
5. Installing good antivirus software
While working from home, many employees use their own computer and other devices to work. Therefore, they should be encouraged to install antivirus software as well as monitor antivirus updates and new subscriptions to ensure that their systems are operating properly.
Although these systems do not guarantee absolute protection against cybercrime, they already prevent a good deal of attacks, and may even notify you of the presence of suspicious activities such as malware, trojan viruses, worms, and possible changes to the registry and file system of operating systems, for example.
6. Implementing tracking software
Another situation that can compromise the cybersecurity of organizations is the loss or theft of devices provided to employees. To avoid this type of situation, installing tracking tools that locate each device and delete the data remotely is advisable.
7. Creating backups
Even with remote work, maintaining the backup routine (safety copies) to minimize unforeseen events is important. An interesting alternative for companies is to invest in hiring cloud data centers, which ensure efficiency and protection and facilitate remote access to their data.
8. Keeping systems and software up-to-date
Another action that must be taken to promote cybersecurity in companies is to keep operating systems and software up to date. This is because many updates already bring security improvements, as well as new tools and functionalities that can make the corporate day-to-day easier.
9. Watch out for criminals posing as colleagues
Individuals working at home should be extra careful about cybercriminals who may pose as co-workers. They may take advantage of employees, access the professional network of contacts and thus request details about the operation or confidential data, negatively affecting the company, both in terms of business continuity and financial loss.
It’s also worth noting that, along with the practices that optimize the organization’s cybersecurity, preserving the physical integrity of machines and devices used for work is necessary. To this end, professionals should always keep the equipment stored in safe places, even when indoors.
Even though at this moment the contact between people is restricted, minimizing the movement of strangers at home can avoid damage that could take time or cost the company.
Moreover, it’s important that the IT teams take human error into account when implementing cybersecurity solutions. The reason is that, no matter how much training helps in assertive conduct, one is never completely free from criminal acts.
With these measures, your organization can enjoy all the conveniences of remote work, while at the same time having the necessary protection of data and applications.
So, do you like our tips? Want to know more about how we can help your company to increase the level of cybersecurity? Get in touch with one of our consultants.
