Key Takeaways

1. Remote working has become part of “business as usual” for companies of all sizes and sectors around the world. The shift away from the old office-based working paradigm brings with it a need for companies to revisit approaches to cybersecurity which may have been built on outdated assumptions from an earlier era.

2. Business leaders must guard against both deliberate and accidental cybersecurity threats while ensuring that the policies they institute are realistic and compatible with normal working practices and productivity goals.

3. Corporate cybersecurity policies and practices may need to flex or change entirely when employees are located outside a traditional office environment. Home working, or working from any location beyond the employer’s control and/or with equipment not supplied or serviced by the employer, carries its own attendant cybersecurity risks which must be managed.

4. Good practice and sensible investment in IT hardware and software can support an effective approach to cybersecurity for remote workers. With the right tools, systems and knowledge for creating, storing and communicating data, workers are more likely to be able to maintain the level of security required by their employer. 

5. While tools and systems are important, insider cybersecurity threats are more common than external attacks. Considering human factors is therefore also vital. The majority of insider cybersecurity breaches are reportedly a result of carelessness and negligence, perhaps caused by stress or skipping or overriding security processes for convenience or to avoid slowing down work flows.