Why Your Remote Team Desperately Needs Cybersecurity Training

cybersecurity training

The scourge of the COVID-19 global pandemic has taken a serious toll on some industries, forcing workers to work from home

After more than six months into the coronavirus outbreak, it’s still hard to predict where the business world is heading. Top tech leaders like Jack Dorsey of Twitter are even considering maintaining remote work long after the pandemic has subsided.

Cybersecurity is one of the major concerns for businesses now working remotely. This is because employees are no longer under the control of their organizations when it comes to the networks and devices they use for work. This opens them up for cyberattacks. 

Out of the many ways to safeguard against these attacks, cybersecurity training from a trusted IT company is one of them, and here’s why your remote teams desperately need it.

Employees May Have a Hard Time Identifying Phishing Emails

While many people often claim that they can identify phishing emails, the statistics speak otherwise. The fact that 90% of data breaches are related to phishing emails shows how people need help spotting socially engineered attacks.

This is one critical reason you should provide cybersecurity training to your remote workers. By taking note of the following commonalities in phishing emails, you can help your team identify and avoid attacks:

  • Bad grammar and spelling
  • General greetings like “Dear Sir/Madam”
  • Request for sensitive information (e.g., bank account number, PayPal email)
  • Unfamiliar addresses such as support@paypall.edu

Since phishing email attachments often contain viruses, you want to caution your remote team specifically about not clicking on links or attachments.

A good rule of thumb is that any email that seems strange or suspicious in any way should be treated as such. If you’re unsure, look up the official website of the email sender or, if it’s a co-worker, talk to them directly or over the phone to see if the email is truly from them.

Security Loopholes Attract Hackers

As hostile actors, hackers are always on the lookout for small vulnerabilities to exploit. Remote-working presents more gaping loopholes for hackers because many workers don’t know how to properly secure their Internet connections and data. Therefore, it’s necessary for remote teams to get cybersecurity training on certain topics.

Firewall & Virtual Private Network (VPN) training, for example, will help employees know how to secure their connections when accessing company data. Information Access Control will help remote workers to understand the authorization requirements for sharing files safely. Cybersecurity training will also cover education on the need for encryption and safe storage of data to ward off cybercriminals.

When your employees are equipped with proper cybersecurity training, an organization can significantly lower its risks of suffering attacks.

Remote Employees May Use Authorized or Insecure Apps

Unlike in business offices where managers have control over the applications used by workers, your workers are often using their own devices and Internet connections when they start working from home. 

Remote teams may therefore be inadvertently using unauthorized software that could put your company data at risk. Insecure programs can contain malware designed to steal sensitive data and relay them to hackers. 

With good cybersecurity training on which apps and programs are safe to use, employees can avoid the dangers involved in the downloading and installation of unauthorized software.

Remote Environments Can Complicate Tracking Security Threats

It’s easier for IT teams to block security threats when workers use company computers. For instance, you can block malicious websites from tampering with your network. However, when your staff works from home, you lose the ability to effectively control and monitor their online activities which can potentially attract threats. 

Cybersecurity training can help mitigate security threats by teaching employees how to identify and eliminate them. You can also establish privacy policies that outline specific ways your employees should or should not be using their digital devices.

To summarize, cybersecurity attacks are increasing at breakneck speeds, and without putting good security measures in place, your business could be at risk as your staff continues to work from home. 

To rise above the security threats posed to your business by at-home workers, consider investing in cybersecurity training for your staff. An investment in security solutions can make it tough for hackers to lay their hands on your company data.