We are seeing an increase in employees who are working less from the office and more from home, hotels, client locations and even vacation spots, thank to the continued advances in mobile technologies. This is great for business since workers do not have to be present for meetings and there is less money spent on travel. Unfortunately working remotely comes with a new set of security threats to the employees’ mobile devices. They can be lost or stolen and accessed easier by an outsider. Below we discuss ways to keep your network secure when employees access it remotely.
Have a Written Remote Access Policy
The remote access written policy for your company must include rules for accessing an office computer remotely and the type of security expected of the mobile devices being used. The policy must be distributed to all employees with rights to remote access. Be certain that all of these employees know what is expected of them and be ready to enforce the rules you have established.
Use Cloud Applications
When you use a web-based application to handle business assignments, companies can allow their employees to work from anywhere, while letting cloud-service providers handle the majority of data security. These providers are well-equipped to lock down the data security. There are general cloud applications as well cloud applications for specialized tasks. The fees are usually reasonable, especially for what you get. Cloud applications can even be used to secure employee use of the web.
Safeguard Users’ Devices
A good amount of malware that affects devices comes through email and the web. It is difficult to limit web browsing and personal emailing on mobile devices is difficult, especially in the world of BYOD. The best way of reducing malware infections on mobile devices is to use security software and always use the latest versions of apps and install new security patches right away. Instead of depending on the workers to update their applications, activate automatic updates from software makers. There is also the option of using a patch-management tool to distribute updates to remote devices yourself.
Limit Remote Access Rights
It may not be necessary for every employee in the company to have access to their office computers remotely. Remote email access is enough for some workers. Remote access should only be granted to those who travel frequently or have a remote working agreement with the company. Otherwise, there is no reason for employees to have remote access to their computers. Be sure that you are always aware of which employees do have access rights, and be ready to take those rights away if they have been abused according to your written policy. Perform regular audits of how the remote access is being used and take the rights away from those who no longer need them.
If you’re interested in setting up a security system for your business’s mobile devices, contact us today. Our friendly team members are ready to assist you with all your security needs!
