4 Cybersecurity Risks of Remote Work and How to Tackle Them

The world is gradually adopting remote work as the preferred work style. Over the years, this method has improved employee productivity, leading to impressive results for employers. However, along with numerous benefits, remote work also has its downsides, one of which is a cybersecurity threat.

Remote work can expose workplace computer systems to hacking and phishing if individual data security is not directly monitored. So what threats do workers and employers face? And how to tackle them?

What are the cybersecurity risks of remote working?

By identifying cybersecurity risks that every remote worker faces, it will be easy to address them accordingly.

1. Insecure WiFi

One of the benefits of remote working is the ability to work from anywhere in the world. You can use the free public WiFi anywhere, whether it’s a coffee shop or an extension of a restaurant.

While that’s great, public WiFi can expose corporate data on your systems to cybercriminals. And since such WLANs are not encrypted, cybercriminals can gain access to confidential information or monitor your Internet traffic at will.

Worse, these cyber criminals can steal your identity or sensitive data, leading to serious data insecurity for your business. In addition to other dangers of using public Wi-Fi networks, cybercriminals can steal information through malware without you being aware, making it a horrible scenario.

2. Unsecured corporate network

It is common for companies adopting teleworking to use corporate networks to transfer data and communicate with each other. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, CISA, reports that hackers target a wide range of corporate networks, and this is possible when their network equipment has major vulnerabilities.

Some examples of these vulnerabilities are weak passwords, outdated software applications, and unsecured emails. Hackers use these to attack the company system and cause a data breach.

3. Vulnerable to phishing and ransomware

Vulnerability to phishing and ransomware is a serious cybersecurity challenge. Employees can click fake pop-up messages or email links sent to them by online hackers. In this way, cyber criminals can steal passwords and prevent users from accessing their computer system.

Or cyber criminals can obtain company information and impersonate the company or personnel, including its websites and media platforms. Then they trick unsuspecting individuals into revealing their sensitive information like passwords, causing a dent in the integrity of the company.

Ransomware completely blocks you from your systems, while phishing impersonates a government agency or organization. Both scenarios are common in small and large companies.

4. Vulnerable Hardware

A hardware vulnerability is a system weakness that leads to a direct attack on the hardware. In this case, it is that of the teleworker. Remote workers use their phones and other handy devices while at work, which can expose their systems to hackers.

Cyber ​​criminals can inject viruses into hardware if these devices are not protected. A remote worker using an old system or an unprotected storage device would also be vulnerable to cybersecurity threats. One way to avoid this is to use hardware security keys to prevent instances of compromised passwords due to hardware vulnerabilities.

How to protect yourself from the cybersecurity risks of working remotely

So now you know what threats you face. But how to tackle them?

1. Use an antivirus and internet security program

Antivirus programs scan and eliminate threats to prevent data corruption on a system. Using an antivirus program as a preventative measure can protect your system from viruses, malware, and network surveillance.

A good example of internet security is the firewall. These act as barriers to incoming traffic on a computer system and as protection for private networks. As a remote worker, installing a standard firewall tool provides the highest level of security, especially when visiting websites prone to phishing.

2. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

VPNs are one of the best ways to protect your privacy as a remote worker. VPNs allow you to log into your computer network over public WiFi without fear of being monitored or hacked by cybercriminals. In addition to protecting your privacy, VPNs serve as a protective shield for your online activities.

With VPNs, you can visit and log into any website without being attacked. It’s a good way to protect employees remotely. There are paid VPNs that provide security. However, there are also free VPNs for PCs that can provide adequate protection.

3. Add a centralized storage solution

In this case, employers provide remote workers with a central location to store sensitive information. This way, it is less likely to fall into the hands of cyber criminals. As a remote worker, all company data, including passwords and customer data, should be stored in one central location.

It’s also easy to monitor data security for a single terminal and provide solutions in the event of a data breach. The easy way to do this is to host a virtual environment where remote workers can consistently log in and access any sensitive data they might need.

4. Secure your home WiFi

As a remote worker, you are also responsible for cyber security. To secure your home WiFi, you need to change the default username and passwords that your WiFi came with to something unique. You might change this regularly.

Besides changing passwords, hiding your network is also important. You can do this by using the Service Set Identifier (SSID) feature on your Wi-Fi. Another measure is to update your router software.

Encrypting Wi-Fi networks is a great way to secure your home wireless network. Fortunately, most WPA2 and WPA3 routers have encryption options that allow your Wi-Fi network to encrypt all data from your device. That way, only you have access to your network, and the only way anyone can get that access is by logging into your network.

5. Avoid intrusion of third parties when working

Avoiding third-party control or intrusion at work is an ideal way to address cybersecurity issues. When a data breach occurs in a third-party application, it is likely to affect your systems and inevitably leave you vulnerable to cyber criminals. If possible, turn off any third-party controls, a good step to avoid data leakage at work.

However, if third-party applications are required, an organization must discuss this with the vendors to ensure that any security vulnerabilities are appropriately addressed. This process includes retrieval methods in the event of a future data breach. On the part of the remote worker, it is advisable to avoid third-party apps that would require sensitive data.

Learn basic cybersecurity as a remote worker

While greater cybersecurity responsibilities rest with the organization you work for, as a remote worker you also need to learn basic cybersecurity practices to keep risks at bay. This way you can spot them and avoid them when they occur. By taking cybersecurity courses and navigating safely online, you will be less vulnerable to hacker attacks.