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Top 5 cybersecurity risks of remote work

Written by Admin | October 7, 2024

You've been thinking about hiring tech staff remotely, but cybersecurity concerns are holding you back. Remote work often brings up worries about data breaches and hacker attacks. But once telework becomes part of the business landscape, there’s no going back. So instead of resisting it, the smart move is to embrace it - securely.

Expert team augmentation can be tremendously helpful in that. Our dedicated teams are as skilled as yours, with an added focus on cybersecurity. With years of experience managing remote teams, we ensure they follow top-tier security protocols, often more rigorous than your own.

5 ways dedicated teams mitigate remote work cyberthreats

Learn how we handle cybersecurity challenges daily, protecting our clients' data and assets while consistently delivering high-quality results.

1. Unencrypted file sharing

Uploading and sharing corporate data via unsafe communication channels seems harmless - until the data is gone. 61% of employees choose email over other communication tools, often without appropriate encryption, putting sensitive data at risk.

46% of remote employees

used a personal cell phone to scan or take document photos for work.

2. Unsecured networks

Working from home doesn’t always mean working from home. Remote employees often use public places like co-working spaces, hotels, and coffee shops. And guess what? That means they’re on unsafe internet connections. Hackers can easily snag login details and access corporate platforms, bank accounts, and other sensitive info.

3. Compromised devices

53% of remote workers use personal equipment for work tasks, and 47% of respondents use work equipment for personal tasks. This behavior has become a norm, but it exposes corporate data to potential breaches by third parties. The same happens when employees mix personal and business credentials, creating a welcome mat for attackers to access multiple accounts with a single key.

4. Limited control over how workers manage data

Are you concerned about the quality of remote data management? You're not the only one! Data shows that 34% of tech employees lack the training to ensure proper data protection when working remotely. To make matters worse, remote workers often aren’t as diligent about following security protocols as their on-site counterparts.

31% of employees

are less likely to follow security practices when working remotely

5. Transparency and accountability challenges

When you team up with an outside provider, it’s all about trust. Letting someone else handle your tech operations can feel risky, especially with sensitive data at stake.

What keeps your remote teams cybersecured:

  • Cloud environment and local storage encryption
  • Firewall and VPN protection of the Internet connection
  • Professional remote team equipment that matches your in-house setup
  • Candidate background checks, confidentiality agreements, and regular security awareness training
  • Transparent partnership contracts with outlined points of contact, reporting structures, and legal compliance monitoring

Remember, no safety measures will be effective if your team isn't fully aware of the threats, their scale, and the potential costs involved. This isn't just about ticking boxes with occasional training sessions; it's about fostering a security culture. We make sure everyone understands the importance of staying vigilant, from using strong, unique passwords to recognizing phishing attempts.

If cybersecurity is a big worry for you, teaming up with dedicated experts can give you peace of mind. Whether your work-from-home setup is already in place or you're just getting started with remote work, our dedicated teams seamlessly integrate and help safeguard your data.

Want to learn more about how transparent and secure your future team augmentation partnership can be? Explore our First 12 weeks with Pwrteams playbook outlining how we approach staff augmentation, resulting in long-term client relationships and high-retention teams.