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Securing-the-New-Hybrid-Workplace-and-Keeping-Your-Data-Protected

Securing the New Hybrid Workplace and Keeping Your Data Protected

Businesses all around the world felt the severe impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The working model that companies had in place drastically changed in the wake of the pandemic. It has given rise to mobility, work-at-home, and hybrid workplace environments. This means that businesses need to take various factors into consideration such as productivity, communication and collaboration, and most importantly, security while setting up a mobile workforce.

Security Challenges That Modern Hybrid Workplaces Face

A survey conducted by Entrust revealed that organizations cite home internet security (21%) and leakage of sensitive company data (20%) among their top security challenges.

1. Insecure mobile endpoint devices

Providing mobile access in today’s anywhere/anytime work environments opens an explosion of insecure mobile endpoint devices. Human errors and risky online behavior mandate that employees cannot be trusted to ensure the security of their own mobile devices like laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

2. Data vulnerabilities

Hybrid workspaces mean employees work from both home and the office. Their data, information, and devices are much more widespread, making data protection difficult.

Security-Challenges-That-Modern-Hybrid-Workplaces-Face

3. Weaker security and rise in cyberattacks

Using cloud services at the office and weak home Wi-Fi security, personal laptops, and poor security practices at home play a major role in increasing vulnerability. Weaker security practices because of the widespread IT environment have increased cyberattacks.

4. Increase in human errors

Since the pandemic, there has been a 55% rise in phishing attacks. A single wrong click can result in a significant breach that could cost organizations millions.

How to Secure Your Hybrid Workspaces

Keeping a mobile workforce and sensitive data secure in a hybrid workplace requires a multi-pronged approach. To ensure the networks are sufficiently protected, organizations can pick and choose from a wide range of methods. These include:

1. Use Secure SaaS Solutions

With security breaches increasing rapidly, a reliable SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) solution such as Zoho is needed to ensure the safety of data in a hybrid work environment. Zoho provides secure hybrid and mobile solutions to all types of industries and businesses of various sizes and functions. Zoho’s applications have advanced layers of security, data centers, technologies, certifications, and policies that give businesses maximum assurance that their data is safe on the Zoho cloud. 

Learn more about Zoho applications here.

How-to-Secure-Your-Hybrid-Workspaces

2. Mobile Device Management

Mobile Device Management (MDM) enables you to remotely manage and monitor an employee’s device. For example, it offers features such as remote wiping and location tracking if a laptop gets lost or stolen. A mobile device management (MDM) solution will provide a number of other features, such as:

  • Device inventory and tracking;
  • Remote software installation and updates;
  • Application whitelisting/blacklisting;
  • Password enforcement;
  • Data encryption.

 

3. Get Virtual Firewall Protection

A virtual firewall is a network firewall service designed for virtualized cloud environments. A virtual firewall solution like SonicWall Next-Generation Virtual Firewall offers the same protections as traditional, physical firewall appliances – but as a cloud-native solution.

Get-Virtual-Firewall-Protection

Virtual firewalls are an ideal solution for securing these mobile and cloud environments. They help to block viruses, spyware, malware, intrusions, encrypted threats, malicious apps, and websites. Implementing a virtual firewall solution ensures seamless security and management capabilities with a single pane of glass experience.

First Direct client Western NRG is a leading provider of SonicWall firewall products and total internet security. I recommend you contact them at (805) 658-0800 for more information.

4. Ensure Zero-Trust Security

Cybersecurity attacks are rising in today’s hyper-distributed era. Perimeter-based security just isn’t enough to protect employee, enterprise, and client data. Zero-Trust Security is the next-generation security approach that has now become the standard of tomorrow’s secure access.

Ensure-Zero-Trust-Security

The zero-trust model is based on the premise that no devices or users should be trusted, not even those within the company network. All users need to continuously go through authentication protocols in order to access anything on the network. SonicWall Cloud Edge Secure Access provides a fast, simple and cost-effective Zero-Trust and Least Privilege security solution. SonicWall Cloud Edge Secure Access verifies each user, verifies every context, and gives trusted users access to just what they need.

5. Email Security

Email remains the most used corporate communication tool for sending messages to clients, colleagues, and customers. From phishing scams to spreading malware, malicious entities take advantage of the continuous prevalence of email use in businesses.

Common email protection tools include antivirus programs, email encryption, secure email gateways, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and spam filters.

6. Employee Security Awareness Training

Employee-Security-Awareness-Training

Many employees are simply unaware of the security best practices that are required to support a hybrid working environment. Develop and implement a security awareness training program that should that reflects your security policies and educates them about password hygiene, social engineering, and remote access procedures.

Conclusion

Security must always be a priority for businesses. Challenges and complexities have continued to rise in today’s mobile and hybrid workspaces. With email and cloud security, virtual firewalls, zero-trust, and employee training, businesses can be prepared to mitigate risks and respond to threats before they prove to be costly.

If you’d like to learn how your business can keep your data safe in your hybrid environment, contact us here or call (845) 221-3800.

First Direct Logo - ZOHO Partners
ZOHO Authorized Partner

Bob Ritter
President
(845) 221-3800

First Direct Logo - ZOHO Partners
ZOHO Authorized Partner

Bob Ritter
President
(845) 221-3800