Cybersecurity for Telework: What should you know?

After more than 2 years immersed in the hybridization of the workplace as a result, among other reasons, of the health crisis, there are still many companies that have permanently implemented the telework option for their entire workforce due to the flexibility and multiple associated benefits (family reconciliation, cost reduction and absenteeism …), however, in many cases, the user and the companies themselves can not guarantee the security of their information or the complete protection of their endpoints, detecting numerous cases of security breaches that have put at risk the continuity of many businesses.

What are the main IT security threats to teleworking?

• Malware:  They have become one of the most common cyberthreats and their purpose can be diverse. They are generally designed to disable or steal user data using hostile or intrusive software (spyware, Trojans, viruses, etc.) and can operate via email, file sharing or instant messaging, among other channels.

• Loss or Theft of devices: This is a critical threat, since in this case, the cybercriminal could easily obtain the information contained inside the device.

• Making use of public networks and working in unsecured environments: The use of public networks such as those found in restaurants or airports is a high risk for teleworking. It is perfectly understandable that at a certain moment we need to work in one of these places, but one of the most common practices of cybercriminals is to infect in chain to all the users that are connected under the same network for the theft of information.

• Personal and non-work use of the device: Personal use of the device entails greater security risks due to the false guard that the user makes while browsing.

• Working with a personal device: Also known as BYOD (Bring your own device) a very popular trend in recent years in which employees themselves can make use of their own devices in the corporate environment. In this case, the risk comes from the loss of control that the company may have over these devices, which may cause more than one scare if policies and exhaustive control over their use are not established.

• Use of unauthorized removable memory sticks: Flash drives (USB) that are not authorized by an IT security team can increase the risk of a security breach on the device and are one of the most frequent mechanisms for the introduction of malware.

How can we prevent and protect ourselves from cyber threats working in remote?

• Definining a security policy for teleworking: Being strictly necessary to create a policy that allows to define the protocols, order and crisis plan for each of the scenarios in which the user may be involved. Such as the applications and resources to which he/she will have access, how the configurations of all the company's devices will be produced, how the password management will be carried out, define the backup policy, or how to guarantee the use of secure connections through a virtual network.

• Relying on a Zero Trust Model: Based on Microsoft's(Leader in security) security guidelines , solutions and policies to shield the corporate work environment under the premise, never trust and always verify, in which each access request is treated, for example, as if it originated in an uncontrolled network and in which all types of anomalies must be searched for.

• Managing device administration: Those unmanaged terminals are a powerful entry point for malicious attacks, so it is necessary to create a strategy for managing your devices, working with a fully cloud-based management environment and applying the right policies for their access is of vital importance.

• Introducing multi-factor authentication (MFA): The importance of having a solid identity base will allow users to securely access resources and applications wherever they are.  It will require the implementation of a multifactor authentication that allows, for example, to integrate through security codes, the authorization to key information for the company (EX: Microsoft Authenticator) and a registration and management of the main accounts of each user (EX: Azure Active Directory).

• Working in a safe environment: To access resources such as servers or connect to company resources, a VPN solution or encryption systems help to protect and encrypt network connections and secure the infrastructure for the peace of mind of the IT department and user accessibility.

• Implementing integrated security solutions in the cloud: Connecting all your identity, application and data solutions in a single ecosystem will allow you to have a complete coverage, reducing risks and associated costs in the case of having to work with different solutions independently.

• Performing periodic security tests: It is very necessary to periodically conduct security audits, or perform simulated attacks for workers in a sudden manner, in order to assess the level of strength or security risks to which the company may be exposed.

• Performing automated backups: Backups have become an indispensable requirement within organizations as a measure of prevention and information security to ensure business continuity in the event of any incident that may affect the systems.

Do you need help protecting your systems or introducing new security policies? 

At Intelequia we understand that working remotely is an ongoing challenge for every organization, depending on its size, sector and digital transformation and that every IT leader needs to define their own priorities to enable remote productivity within their organization. Although our remote work typology may be different from yours, we want you to know that we put at your disposal all our knowledge and a team of IT security experts at your service. Do you want more information? do not hesitate to contact us.