As enterprises adjust to more teams going remote, there is a lot for enterprise security to consider. From shadow IT to authentication, they suddenly have a completely new set of threats and vastly different security plane. Here are five areas that need to be included in any security strategy for remote workers:

A New Edge

When it comes to securing data and systems, enterprise security may be suddenly including the TikTok sessions of their team member’s teenagers. The coexistence of enterprise systems with entertainment has always been somewhat of an issue (think of employees sharing YouTube videos in the breakroom or taking time to do a little online holiday shopping over lunch), but never quite at this level.

Shadow IT

One of the benefits of cloud solutions is that they are easily accessible for non-IT personnel. This is also what makes them dangerous for enterprise security. Employees, anxious to remedy remote productivity challenges, are downloading new apps without going through the normal processes usually in place for new IT acquisitions. Security teams will need to scan networks for rogue applications and determine where there may be increased threats.

Overall Vulnerability

When abrupt changes are made, malicious actors are all too aware that they may be able to identify some gaps in the security strategy. Employees may be targeted with phishing emails with a new level of intensity, or they may make the mistake of sharing their password with a family member who needs access to a laptop to participate in an online class or a video conference.

Employee Training

The shift to remote work may also come with a new training curriculum. When working in a new setting, employees may need new instructions on what to do if they suspect a systems breach. If your enterprise security team hasn’t offered training in how to handle a suspected phishing email or ransomware attack, it’s a good time to address these. You should also review the protection that role-based authorization and authentication passwords offer to discourage employees from reducing their vigilance in protecting them.

BYOD

From devices that haven’t been patched to old routers, enterprise security is facing unprecedented threats stemming from bring-your-own-device (BYOD) programs. While the shift to remote work was partly made possible by BYOD, the threat to secure data and systems is still an issue. Enterprise security must prioritize policies that screen devices for threats and help ensure employees aren’t careless in how they access systems from them.

Is your enterprise security team facing new concerns and threats related to teams moving to remote work? Contact us at eXemplify for help in creating a strategy for protecting your systems. We can help you identify your key threats and prioritize addressing them to better protect your organization.