Remote work environments have been on the rise ever since the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns forced the issue for many companies around the world.
Naturally, this has paved the way for all new opportunities and unfortunately, new threats too. As more employees spend most of their working hours away from a centralized office, it isn’t unreasonable to argue that the risk of being affected by cyber threats is higher than ever before.
Plus, what’s worse, it’s much harder to roll out company-wide cybersecurity protocols as not every employee will be using a company computer and working from the same location. With less control, the role of VPNs has become increasingly important in recent years, and in this post we’re going to explore how they can help you safeguard your remote work environment.
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The Rise of Remote Work and Increasing Cybersecurity Risks
The increase in cybersecurity risks in recent years go hand in hand with the rise of remote work, since more employees are using insecure Wi-Fi networks to complete their work, exposing themselves to virtual threats.
Some of the main cybersecurity risks include:
- Data breaches – Given that in many cases companies have less control over how their employees access their systems and the internet, there’s a higher risk of successful hacking attempts and subsequent data breaches.
- Phishing attacks – Since remote work culture often involves using various digital communication tools to help coworkers stay in touch in spite of physical distances, there’s a higher likelihood that employees may fall prey to phishing attempts or fake messages that appear to come from superiors.
- Malware – Shifting to personal devices as many employees do while working remotely can pose other threats such as inadvertently downloading malware. Without the right antivirus protection or security measures in place, this malware and obfuscation can cause all sorts of problems for the individual and the company.
Plus, as companies begin to grapple with new threats, the use of endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions has become all but imperative. EDR tools give you the ability to proactively identify suspicious activity on various endpoints including personal devices so you can protect against cyber threats.
To stay up to date on the best ways to protect your data and more tips and tricks on countering the latest cyber threats, the Microsoft Security blog is a great resource.
How VPNs Address Remote Work Security Challenges
One of the best tools you have at your disposal to protect your company and remote work employees from some of the aforementioned cybersecurity threats is VPNs. A VPN (virtual private network) allows you to encrypt internet traffic so that while browsing, you and your employees can stay safe.
Effectively the VPN prevents any unauthorized access to your company data even while employees are working remotely. All connections between your company and employees can be made more secure through advanced encryption meaning it’s much more difficult for cybercriminals to access this data.
The main way VPNs do this is by hiding your IP address, so your location can’t be determined and it’s much harder to get into your secure company networks.
Additional Benefits of Using VPNs for Remote Work
Alongside more secure browsing and connections between your company and employees, the right VPN can help bolster your remote work cybersecurity defenses in 3 important ways:
- Secure access management – If your employees rely on regular access to company resources, VPNs can help them more securely gain access to these systems, resources, and files. VPNs allow employees to connect to their company’s databases as if they were on-site.
- Heightened protection against common cyber threats – With a VPN in place, you an better mitigate the risks of cyber attacks which come about as a result of using public, insecure Wi-Fi networks.
- Adherence to data privacy regulations – By securing your confidential company data, a VPN can help you comply with data privacy regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA.
How to set up a VPN in Your Remote Work Environment
If you’re convinced that a VPN is the right move for your remote work business, here are a few tips to get you started.
Select the Right VPN
Choose a VPN for your company based on what’s right for your remote work employees. For example, if you have a lot of confidential data which your team accesses regularly, you might prefer a VPN with advanced encryption measures to keep the data secure.
Educate your Employees
The best way to stay safe in a remote work environment with a VPN is to train your employees on how to best use it to protect their data. Laying on regular training sessions or at least introducing the software to your team can help ensure everyone knows how to use it best.
Regularly Update the Software
VPNs work best when kept up to date, so it’s important that you and your team continue to update the software on a regular basis.
Navigating Cybersecurity in your Remote Work Environment
It’s not easy transitioning to a remote work environment, not least because of the various cyber threats you could expose your company to in the process.
However, if you stick to best cybersecurity practices and correctly implement a VPN, you should be able to keep your remote work environment as secure as your prior on-site work environment – if not more so.
