In the past year alone, the number of cybercrimes has almost doubled that of 2019-2022. It would be an understatement to say a lot has happened since, but one thing is for sure, remote working is here to stay. 

The model that seems to be gaining the most traction is a hybrid one but as we have seen from the statistics, mass remote working has created the perfect conditions for threat actors to thrive

Let’s talk about cloud-specific challenges and remote working infrastructure:

It’s telling that 41% of organizations polled by the Cloud Industry Forum still believe now that the office is a safer environment than the cloud. Moreover, a hybrid workplace will arguably require even more shuttling of data between remote workers, cloud servers and office-bound employees. This complexity will require careful managing.

There are persistent concerns over vulnerabilities and user misconfiguration of SaaS offerings, as well as reports of stolen account passwords and anxiety over the commitment of some providers to security and privacy.

So, what can you do?

We’re not going to give you obvious cybersecurity tips like strong passwords and installing updates, but here are a few extra things you can tick off to ensure ultimate security.

Turn on VPN

While you keep the VPN turned on, you secure your network from hackers and cyberspies who can intercept sensitive data, such as financial documents and customer data. Whether your remote workers work from home or a local coffee shop, staying signed into the organisational VPN is imperative to secure all important information.

Keep your devices separate

If your employees use a device provided by the business, make sure that they use it only for work. Encourage them not to use it to stream their favourite TV shows on Netflix or buy concert tickets and any other things that can be done on personal devices. And vice versa is true, don’t use your personal tablet or PC for work as it most likely lacks proper security.

Write a remote work policy for your team

If you are a remote team leader, a business owner or CISO, it is imperative that you create a strong remote working policy to help your team with risk management. Cybersecurity training is also advised which can train in incident response.

You need to cover the following topics in your remote working policy:

• Compliance requirements
• Information systems security
• Data protection
• Remote access control
• Backup and media storage
• Information disposal
• Alternative work sites