Working from home has its perks but can also be quite challenging, especially regarding IT security. That became even more apparent during the pandemic when many companies had to undergo a rapid digital transformation. Here we examine some of the security challenges we face when working from home and how they can be solved.
There is no place like home
Remote work has presented us with many new challenges, not least regarding security. However, this opens up a lot of risks.
We may be handling sensitive information on our Wi-Fi at home – or worse – a shared network. At home, or in a cafe for that matter, we don’t have the same safety routines. In addition, keeping business secrets from your partner when you both work from home can be difficult.
Daniel Sörlöv, Identity and Information Protection Specialist at Microsoft, believes hackers have greater availability today.
“The IT environment has changed a lot in recent years, and the complexity for those of us who work with IT security has increased drastically,” he says.
Remote work IT security has become a necessity
Due to the rapid change in the last few years, companies have taken many shortcuts. It may have resulted in decisions and solutions that expose security gaps. Daniel Sörlöv has seen an apparent increase in attacks, especially against small businesses.
Our homes, where we otherwise feel most secure, are unfortunately one of the places where sensitive company information is most exposed.
“At home, we work on other units. We are moving from desktop computers at work to children’s gaming computers, where people download documents and have meetings. It is a completely unfamiliar environment for the company, that means you expose yourself to more risks”, says Daniel Sörlöv.
As there are devices today that are out of the company’s control, adapting protection is becoming increasingly important.
“We may not be able to take responsibility for any home computer, but we can secure access.”
Open networks and vulnerable places
What can be even worse than the home network is when people, for example, sit in a cafe or stay at a hotel. There, corporate devices often connect to an unprotected network. A hacker can easily collect information via an access point with the same name and password as the hotel or cafe’s network.
“If that signal is stronger, people will connect to my network. Then I can intercept and analyse all traffic. I can do this in thousands of places. These access points are easy to operate and hide,” says Daniel.
That can allow hackers to obtain login information, which can definitely compromise the company’s security.
Continue reading: Telavox makes remote work easier for enterprise company
3 IT security solutions for remote workers
So, what is the solution for this? What should you do to keep safe when you need to work from home? Daniel Sörlöv recommends three methods:
- Multi-factor
Multi-factor (or multi-factor authentication) means you must confirm your login with, for example, eID (electronic identification). There are a plethora of different solutions, from BankID to fingerprints. In this way, even a password leak can be stopped. However, Daniel Sörlöv recommends avoiding multi-factor with emails, as the verification code can be sent to a compromised email address. - Encryption
Protect and encrypt your databases and documents. However, this assumes that the login does not only rely on simple passwords because then encryption can be unlocked through these. - Tracking
Be sure to create logs and track changes. In this way, you can see what is happening in your information environment and investigate what is normal behaviour. It enables you to prevent future attacks.
Telavox – a reliable supplier
Telavox’s unique UCaaS platform has significantly impacted the Nordic market. The solution consists of a cloud PBX, mobile application, and interface with telephony, chat, video conference, statistical tools and integrations with other systems, and more.
Telavox supports integrations with digital verification tools such as BankID, so you can add an extra layer of security to your customer operations.
Telavox can handle both IT and telecom and is also one of the largest operators in the B2B sector. In this way, our customers only need one supplier. We place a strong focus on mobile for all telephony and UCaaS services. Administrators can quickly and easily get started with the app and manage users, costs, and data security in a single portal instead of logging into several different systems.
With Telavox, the user can benefit from automation, better customer service, and efficient collaboration tools to strengthen internal and external communication.
