Cyber Security Training for Remote Employees

It’s now part of how we do business – employees are no longer bound to work in a single location and in fact are working from virtually anywhere in the world, a significant factor in achieving a healthier work/life balance and boosting productivity. Remote work can also be a cost-effective solution for employers.

• May reduce the amount of space they are renting
• Access to a wider range of talents as they’re no longer bound to a specific location

Unfortunately, remote working also has downsides. One of the major negatives is the increased exposure and chance of being impacted by cybercrime.

Educating your remote employees about cyber security

The why is simple – Human error now represents the highest area for company exposure meaning there is an immediate need to educate staff about cyber security. Informing your employees about the dangers of hacking and cyber threats is critical as cyber based attacks have continued to rise every quarter over recent years (and this trend is not likely to slow down).

Train your team on cyber security

First and foremost, it’s crucial that your employees are acquainted with cyber security solutions. One of the ways to achieve this is to conduct an awareness campaign about the nature of cyber security services and the consequences of neglecting this critical security measure.

When educating your team, it’s vital that your message is understandable and relatable. Here’s a quick breakdown of the concepts:

• Understandable: Not everyone has technical skills or are familiar with cyber security jargon, it’s best that your message does not confuse employees. As much as possible, try to simplify the terms so they can be understood by all your members, even non-tech savvy ones.
• Relatable: It may be difficult for employees to see the importance of cyber security if you talk about the general threats of ignoring cyber security. Make the message relatable by talking about the value of safeguarding information in their personal devices. By doing so, employees may better relate to the danger since it can happen to them, encouraging them to be more cautious as they visit certain websites or open unsolicited emails and links.
• Repeatable: It been proven that consistent short sharp messages empower staff to understand and learn faster.

You may also ask for assistance from a reliable cyber security business expert that can help educate and train your employees on basic security measures and spot potential cyber threats.

Create a remote work policy

As a business owner or a team leader, you should also create a clear remote work policy that helps your team members with cyber risk management. In addition to having a remote work policy, you should also set guidelines when they encounter any cyber incident.

For your reference, here are the important topics that your remote work policy should cover:

• Backup and media storage
• Data protection
• Compliance requirements
• Alternative work sites

Invest in the right tools and technology

Now you have educated your employees about cyber security, the next thing to do is to make sure that your team have the necessary resources and tools to identify and prevent a cyber incident. This includes knowing the nature and importance of things like a VPN (Virtual Private Network) and the need to change passwords regularly. Investing in a focused security solution, which covers both the physical and human cogs of your IT system is vital and can be implemented via your internal team or externally through a trusted partner. If your employees are supported with the right tools, they accept and comply with your IT policies becoming more confident, allowing them to focus on their work.

Educate the basics – have strong passwords

Even with the best tools and or IT security partners, it will still lack effect if your employees have weak passwords. Given, passwords still serve as the first line of defence against any unauthorized access this remains an important point. Strong and unique passwords will also make it difficult for cybercriminals to gain access to your network.

Here are some tips to consider when generating a strong password:

• Refrain from using common characters and word combinations. This includes using your name, birthday, and predictable number sequences like ‘1234.’
• Go for long passwords with at least eight characters. It’s best if a long password has random words, digits, and even symbols.

Small tip is to use a poem or song verse (something you will remember). Vary your long passwords across different accounts. If you find it difficult to remember your passwords, opt for a password manager.

With the rise of remote working here to stay, cyber-attacks are also here to stay. To safeguard your company, you should be aware of the important role cyber awareness plays in your company. Fortunately, the tips mentioned in this article can serve as a steppingstone to strengthening your security measures, allowing you and your team to work comfortably in this era of virtual working.

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