Virtual Cabinet Blog

Remote Working Security: Are You at Risk?

Written by Virtual Cabinet | Feb 18, 2021 1:06:44 PM

Risk Assessing Security for Remote Working

Thanks to the development of technology, people now don’t always have to work in the office if they don’t need to. But keeping data and files secure is challenging enough with everyone in one, central location, let alone with businesses running from home, multiple locations, or with hybrid working arrangements. With phishing emails flying in and cyberattacks on the rise, it’s time to get to know the remote working security risks that your business is facing. Find out how to maintain good security practices when employees work remotely.

Remote Working Security Risks

Working from home, or any other remote environment, poses a unique challenge and several security risks for your business – your spare bedroom doesn’t have the same safety measures in place as your office. What you don’t see in your office are the extensive layers of security that are put in place to protect your files and your assets. So when you move yourself to another location, you’re no longer protected by those shields. But what are the risks of remote working exactly? Here are just a few of the remote working security risks that you may encounter on your ‘WFH’ journey:

  • Phishing attacks: one of the most common cyberattacks, phishing is the fraudulent effort to acquire sensitive information and data from employees, including credit card details, passwords, and other private information.
  • Password sharing: you may be tempted to share your passwords with colleagues to get certain tasks done faster, but a data breach is a big price to pay for faster turnaround times.
  • Weakened security: as you spread yourselves over multiple locations, you spread your security blanket a lot thinner.

Worried about your remote working security? No business should feel at risk. Find out how to maintain security when employees work remotely below.

How to Maintain Security When Employees Work Remotely

No matter the size of your company, it can be difficult to stay on top of your remote working security. From 50 employees to 500, the risks of remote working remain the same.

Remote Working Security Tips

Wondering how to maintain security when employees work remotely? Follow our remote working security tips:

  • Limit your public Wi-Fi use: Public Wi-Fi is much more vulnerable to cyberattacks than a private system, so it’s best to avoid it for work.
  • Make sure your security software is up to date: to help prevent against cyberattacks, viruses and more.
  • Set strong passwords: to lower your chances of getting hacked and don’t share them with anyone.
  • Be aware of phishing attacks: inspect your emails and report any suspected attacks to your IT department.
  • Set up access controls and document permissions: these are even more essential for remote working security. Access controls allow you to manage who can see what on a shared system.
  • Utilise audit controls and trails: record events like logging in, viewing and editing documents, so you can have eyes on every step. And view all historic document interactions to check trails.
  • Use a centralised storage solution: important documents are safer, protected by your remote working security solution and easy to access by everyone.

Remote Working Security with Virtual Cabinet

Get your data security covered with an effective Document Management System. All Document Management Systems will have different policies when it comes to security, including permissions and user privileges. Here are just a few of our features that reduce the risks of remote working:

  • Legally Binding Electronic Signatures: since the introduction of the Electronic Communications Act 2000, electronic signatures have been deemed legally binding, and can be used for all business transactions and operations. And if you’re worried about tampering, you can upload any documents that have been signed electronically to our Verify Signed Document Checker so you can check for any such activity.
  • Access Controls: you can set industry-leading access controls for all software users to protect your data and content at all stages. You can see when someone logs into, views, or edits a document and so much more, providing you with a foolproof audit trail for every document. If you don’t want just anyone editing sensitive data, you can set up access controls as a precaution.
  • Email Capture: safely and securely file your emails with unique rules, specific to your business, which can help to automatically file client correspondence and help you to identify email anomalies.
  • Streamlined, Secure Communication: the VC cloud content management feature within the Virtual Cabinet software suite allows you to create, share, track, and manage assignments in a secure environment and in a safe way, to achieve your goals and complete your projects. You can communicate internally, and externally, in a way that’s much more secure than email.
  • Secure File Sharing and Storage: use the Virtual Cabinet Client Portal to securely share large files with clients, suppliers, and customers. Upload documents to the secure file cabinet, utilise integrated eSignatures and operate under modern data encryption methods to ensure secure file sharing.

Our software is ISO27001 compliant for your peace of mind. You can find out more about our security and availability here.

The Virtual Cabinet software can be used in confidence, knowing that your files and business are being kept secure. To receive advice on remote working security from an industry expert, book a free demo online today. We can help you to personalise your system to your business needs, and answer any questions you may have about the risks of remote working.

Implement remote working security measures that help to safeguard your business, and your files, with Virtual Cabinet.