While allowing employees to work in remote locations offers many benefits for company growth, it can also present a variety of security concerns to address.
Managers and executives must now be responsible for keeping both data and work processes secure, even when employees are completing tasks on mobile devices throughout the world. It is difficult enough to keep proprietary data secure when the whole team is in the same room. Modern realities make it even more challenging.
In today’s marketplace, remote workers exist in nearly every industry. A recent Gallup poll found that a third of American workers never enter an office, and health concerns associated with the coronavirus may increase those numbers. Companies that did not have data backup and storage plans may be scrambling to stay competitive and flexible.
To create a cloud security protocol, it’s necessary to understand the different security risks associated with remote working while also determining a process for solutions.
Disaster Recovery
Remote employees store all their work and rely day to day on technology, which is subject to failure. Even with the best care, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and other internet-based devices may malfunction without notice, sometimes causing significant file loss.
If the remote worker happens to be operating outside of their home, it’s also possible that equipment may be lost due to theft or natural disaster. Disaster can happen at any time to any business of any size.
To overcome these losses, businesses must have a plan to minimize downtime with as little damage as possible. Executives can work with a Global IP Networks engineer to create a disaster recovery and business continuity plan. This will start with experts brainstorming disruptive scenarios, identifying weaknesses within the organization, and creating a workaround strategy to normalize workflow as quickly as possible.
This way, a business can be prepared to address and rectify unexpected concerns and events that would otherwise damage the organization.
Cloud Services
Both internal and external hard drives can drop and break, and yet many remote workers use these storage capabilities exclusively to keep their company’s data. Many executives are wary of cloud-based storage services because the technology requires specific knowledge and a large time commitment.
This is why managed IT services are crucial to support remote workers, especially with cloud services. A cloud platform will provide safe and secure data storage, which in turn will increase the business’s ability to be flexible and reactive to changes in the marketplace.
By outsourcing these services, the company can benefit from the technology without having the human resources expertise to manage it. The Global IP Networks experts can supply ample cloud storage, maintain the platform’s server, run the network, and optimize the data centers for workers, no matter where they are located.
Managed Security Services
With online work, the threats aren’t only physical. Cybersecurity threats target small and medium-sized businesses every day. No company is immune to security breaches, but businesses that have remote workers are the most at risk.
Hackers are able to cause more than just headaches. They can access proprietary information, including customer bank account numbers and internal data. These cybercriminals will either demand money in exchange for this information or they will leak it and reduce customers’ trust in the business. A shocking 60% of targeted companies are forced to close their doors permanently within six months of a cyberattack, according to recent studies.
However, it’s possible to have an adaptive IT security system overseen by a support team to protect workers and the company from cyberattacks. This system should comprise network security including a firewall, advanced threat management to identify potential concerns before problems arise, and penetration testing to ensure everything is working to keep the company safe.
With the individualized and customizable protection of a managed IT security team, executives can feel confident that all data will be safe with specific protocols and protection for all systems.
Work With IT Experts
For any team that includes remote workers, it is crucial to modernize a company’s approach to security so that it protects its data and equipment no matter what transpires. Global IP Networks can provide a customized approach that includes cloud services, a disaster recovery protocol, and managed IT services that are designed specifically for each company.
You can feel secure in a partnership with Global IP Networks, which has more than 20 years in business and more than 1,200 customers served. Connect with us today to talk with an expert and keep your company safe, everywhere in the world.
