Remote work is the new normal in the current business environment and it doesn’t look like it’s going to change any time soon. Even after the current pandemic subsides, many organizations will opt to shift their operations to support full-time remote work. And though the pandemic might go away, one threat will persist – the insider threat. Security is a challenge in and of itself when dealing with an office environment – but it becomes incredibly complicated with remote work and the multiple end-points and various devices encompassed within it. You need to give your employees flexibility, but with security considerations at the forefront of your decision-making. Fortunately, there are a few best practices to follow as you continue to strive to maintain security for your organization while employees work remotely – and whether you plan on having everyone return to the office, or continue with remote work permanently, these best practices will guide your security team in the right direction when developing security strategies and procedures.
Establishing Collective Responsibility
Data security is not just the job of your security team – your employees play a much bigger role in the success of your risk management program than they might think. It’s important to communicate this with them. Employees need to be vigilant, keeping an eye on suspicious activities such as potential phishing emails, and reporting anomalies to your team as needed. Continuing employee education efforts are a great way to bring awareness to security topics and keep your employees up to date on the latest trends within the field.
Implementing Multi-Layered Security
There are many ways your organization can implement multi-layered security, from two-factor verification to Single Sign-On and more. Regardless of how you implement it, you should do so to ensure that the employees who are signing on to the network are actually your employees. This also goes hand-in-hand with the next best practice – monitoring.
Monitoring Behavior Using a Baseline
User activity monitoring and its implementation into your security program can save your organization a lot of headaches and financial pain down the line. It’s important to take a baseline of normal user behaviors and use that to assess potential threats down the line. For instance, if a user who normally works a 9-5 schedule suddenly logs into your network at 3AM, that needs to be reviewed ASAP to ensure the activity is appropriate. Following a philosophy of transparency between your security team and the wider remote workforce is critical to the success of this program.
Contact ITMG to Assess Your Current Capabilities and Develop Strategies and Protocols Designed to Help Your Company Mitigate Your Insider Risk
ITMG is an industry leader in helping organizations throughout the United States strengthen their insider risk management programs and secure sensitive data and intellectual property. Our team of bona fide experts has the real-world experience necessary to plan out and create holistic security solutions tailored to the special needs and risks in your industry. Contact ITMG today to learn more about how we can help! You can also visit our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages for more updates and insights into the world of insider risk management.