Security Challenges For Working From Home
1. Unsecured Wi-Fi Connections
Previously, enterprises faced a unique problem when dealing with remote workers. Some workers would work from public Wi-Fi connections, such as at hotels and cafes. These proved a significant challenge to business cyber-security; hackers can easily take advantage of the weak security of public Wi-Fi to intercept information.
The Corona virus means the vast majority of workers now work from home. This poses its own security challenges, as home networks can suffer from many vulnerabilities such as users and devices that might have been compromised by malware and phishing. Consumer networking equipment, such as routers and wifi access points normally do not have the same level of security as the business grade devices. Add to this the various network connected devices in the average home, such as cell phones, tablets, DVRs, doorbells, security cameras, game consoles, music and video streaming, etc, these devices often have serious vulnerabilities that can be easily exploited if they are not properly updated. Some of these devices often have known vulnerabilities that do not have a known fix.
2. Lack of Visibility Over Data
Of the major security challenges during the work from home era, data loss could be the most worrying. Employees could access data and transfer it without the strict visibility maintained by in-network cyber-security. For example, employees could upload sensitive data to a public cloud database—which proves a serious vulnerability. Hackers could easily steal this information, or a simple mis-configuration could leave the data open.
Thankfully, next-generation endpoint security provides Data Loss Prevention (DLP). This prevents unauthorized users from transferring data to unsafe locations or locations without visibility. Moreover, it prevents moving data to unsecured databases.
It offers reassurance in a time when there are so few reassurances.
3. Equipment Outside of the Company Network
Working from home invites so many more devices than the typical enterprise might encounter. For example, enterprise firewalls can’t always provide visibility or security control over devices when they are outside of the company network.
On the other hand, the increased number of mobile devices now connecting to enterprise networks require new perimeter security measures. Next-generation endpoint security helps find and extend cyber-security protections to devices as they connect to the network and to sensitive databases. This visibility also prevents mobile devices from becoming gateways into the network and allowing hackers lateral movement.
4. Email Security and Malware Prevention at Scale
According to the Verizon 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report, 94 percent of malware attacks come from email attacks. This includes phishing attacks, which now pose as coronavirus-related messages; unfortunately, phishing attacks pose a high success rate. Without the right endpoint security with email protections, these emails can prove difficult to distinguish from genuine messages
Plenty of threats are happening during the Corona virus pandemic; hackers are taking advantage of the chaos to conduct their attacks and strategies. The best prepared companies use multiple layers of protection against email related malware and phishing attacks. Scanning email at the server for harmful content helps to keep the viruses and phishing links from making it to your email inbox. Then using next-generation endpoint security helps by enacting strong antivirus, which can block malicious websites, stopping emails from unwanted domains from opening, and blacklisting suspicious applications from installing. Combining these layers with end user training provides a multiple pronged defense against the bad guys.
For a secure work at home strategy your company needs to take the above mentioned factors into account. If you need help with your work at home strategy or security practices for your business, give us a call at 580-782-2266 X11.
