Cloud Security Crucial to Secure Remote Workforce
Everybody is talking about the global pandemic being the reason for the remote workforce. It seems like the work culture for most companies have changed overnight after the COVID-19 breakdown. Yes, that’s true. In fact, an American study reveals that around 57% of employers offer flex time or remote work options. Also, even after the effect of the pandemic has lessened, almost 50% of employers plan to expand or increase flexible work arrangements on a more permanent basis. Despite all the benefits of working from anywhere, let’s not forget about data security which is a crucial part of the remote workforce concept.
Since most enterprises adapted to the change that the future of work is transforming, and ultimately shifted their sensitive data to the cloud. Though the cloud is very promising for the remote handling of data, it’s important to secure the data in the cloud at the same time. And that requires the implementation of security measures on the cloud.
Note: Learn more about Cloud Data Security by clicking on the link.
Before implementing the security measures, it’s crucial to understand the risks present in a remote work model.
Understanding The Security Risks of The Work-From-Home Model
Majorly there are 3 risks that are associated with a remote workforce model.
- Insecure home network
- Employees using company laptops for personal use
- Compromised family devices infecting an employee’s work device
The fact is that nearly two-thirds of companies experienced a data breach during the past two to three years that attributed to an employee working remotely.
However, some companies are thinking of making WFH a permanent practice to cut the infrastructure cost which would put less burden on their finances. So, while developing a strategy for remote work, there are certain things you should consider.
Fundamental Priorities to Consider While Implementing Strategy for Remote Work
Basically, there are two golden rules you should focus on.
- Make sure employees have a safe, secure, and productive work environment
- Maintain the security, availability, and continuity of services for customers.
As you know one of the important aspects of productive outcomes is collaborative work. And, that is possible for a remote work environment with the help of the cloud. It not only connects remote workers but also offers better data management.
However, the table can be turned to hackers if the security of the cloud is not taken care of properly. So, it’s vital to implement robust Cybersecurity solutions and lower the risk of Cloud Vulnerabilities (present in the multiple access point outside the office.).
5 Ways to Secure Remote WorkForce
To prepare for any possible cyber threat, you can’t skip making remote employees, network infrastructure, collaboration tools, and cloud resources cyber-ready.
So, here are five ways you can deploy to make remote staff and data in the cloud secure.
1. Educate Employees Who Work Remotely.
Your first line of defense against cyberattacks is your workforce. Also, they represent your greatest weakness. But if your employees don’t comprehend their part in its execution, even the most thorough security procedures will fail. Employees must be diligent in protecting themselves and your company from cyber threats since they frequently use insecure Internet connections to remotely access corporate resources and data.
Remote workers must be informed of the most recent malware threats and phishing scams, as well as know, comprehend, and adhere to security best practices and protocols. It is even more important to follow security rules when there is ambiguity. Since they disseminated false information and preyed on gullible victims, hackers were able to profit from the public’s anxieties thanks to Coronavirus. Several pretended to be government agencies or humanitarian organizations in order to demand money from companies and people. You may manage network security by making sure your personnel is aware of the most recent risks and providing them with clear instructions.
2. Create a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
Corporate networks frequently have cybersecurity capabilities to guard against unauthorized access to applications and data. Yet, remote access is not frequently built into the systems. Employees who operate on-site use company-provided devices with current software and configurations to connect to the network. Moreover, routers located inside the firewall perimeter are used to connect servers inside a protected environment.
A VPN should be set up for remote network access by savvy firms because employees accessing the network remotely can lead to a number of potential security concerns. Remote workers now have a secure means to connect to the corporate network thanks to virtual private networks, which extend enterprise network security features to open Internet connections. Although they are not the most cutting-edge security technology, VPNs are a prerequisite for businesses that use remote workers since they are easy to set up and operate.
3. Limit The Cloud Data Access
You should only allow staff members with the necessary authorization to view your cloud-based data. You can manage users trying to access your cloud environment by setting up access control policies. By managing access control, you may also provide certain users access rights and policies, allowing, for instance, low-level cloud users and high-level security administrators to have access to distinct resources.
4. Continuously Monitor The Cloud Environment
Traditional security measures emphasized stopping threats after an assault had already taken place. Thankfully, security technology has advanced.
Threats to your network infrastructure may be waiting in your cloud environment, but modern security solutions such as Security Operation Centers (SOC) can thwart them before an assault. You can identify and eliminate hidden network dangers by continuously monitoring your cloud environment.
5. Protect Your Cloud Data With Encryption.
You must make sure that the data on your cloud is properly encrypted. For data to and from the cloud to be encrypted, your cloud environment must support it. Learn about the encryption practices of any cloud service providers you may be using right now. Before moving to the cloud, it is imperative to understand how the cloud provider protects the data that is stored on its servers.
The Bottom Line
Even though the majority of employers anticipate that some form of hybrid or flexible working will persist, it’s unlikely that everyone will be working remotely by this time next year. Financial services companies, like businesses in every sector, were compelled to adapt swiftly and remain with what worked when the epidemic first began. Given that remote working has proven to be successful. That’s why it is crucial to ensure that cloud-first security solutions are implemented so that data protection is guaranteed, wherever their employees may be.
FAQs
Q- What is cloud security?
It is nothing but a set of policies, controls, and measures combined with technology to protect data, applications, and infrastructures within the cloud computing environment.
Q- What are the main security concerns in cloud computing?
Major concerns related to security include data breaches, unauthorized access, insecure APIs, data loss, and compliance issues.
Q- How one secure data in the cloud?
Data in the cloud can be secured through encryption, access controls, regular audits, etc. Mainly encryption does the work for protecting the data from probable threats.
Q- Is MFA or Multi Factor Authentication important in cloud security?
Yes. MFA provides more than one form of identification such as a password, temporary code, etc., and acts as an extra layer of security for the cloud data. This helps in preventing unnecessary data breaches.
Q- What is a firewall and why is it important in cloud security?
A firewall is a network security device. It can be hardware or software that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic. In the cloud, helps protect the virtual networks and instances from unauthorized access and cyber threats.