Return to Office Cybersecurity Preparations

As long as technological evolution continues, cyberthreats are going to increase. The ongoing pandemic has brought in a new wave of cybercrimes as opportunistic criminals see this global catastrophe as a new opportunity to deliver their phishing emails. Combined with technology gaps in most organizations and scattered workforces due to the pandemic, cybercriminals are having a field day as a result. A study by Webroot estimated that one in three people in the United States have clicked a phishing email in 2020, with most of these emails carrying COVID-themed messages.

Although cyberthreats are inevitable in this digital world, you don’t always have to live in constant fear of them. With the right cybersecurity preparations, you can overcome various threats and significantly minimize the chance of security incidents in your clients’ organizations.

In this blog, we’ll check out some of the best security preparation strategies you can incorporate in your organization to ensure a smooth return to office.

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Identify and Fill Technology Gaps

Technology is always evolving and you need to keep up as well. An organization that still relies solely on legal solutions for security is the perfect target for cybercriminals since there are plenty of loopholes to exploit. You need to constantly review your security solution and fill the technology gaps without fail.

Key IT functions, such as remote monitoring of assets, patching, data backup, etc., must be handled by sophisticated tools that can proactively prevent a security incident. This is the main reason why tech investments have skyrocketed since the pandemic. The accelerated digital adoption and transition to a hybrid workforce has made organizations realize the importance of technology. Studies show that 73% of IT leaders substantially increased their data security investments in 2020. This trend is likely to continue over the next few years, so don’t be left behind.

Incorporate a Zero Trust Approach

Under the Zero Trust approach, no individual, device or application can be trusted by default even if it is part of an internal or external network. Remote work is here to stay, which means critical business data will be accessed by employees from different locations. You need to make sure only the right users have access to critical data. This begins with defining what critical data is, micro-segmenting users and then assigning permissions to them. Only when all the parameters align correctly will a user have access to critical data. By limiting access, you can significantly prevent various kinds of cyberthreats, both internal and external.

Security Processes to Promote Resilience

When the pandemic started, most companies didn’t have the right infrastructure to support remote work. As a result, unexpected issues popped up from everywhere. The same can be expected when organizations return to work after a prolonged period. These issues can be mitigated if you incorporate the following complementary security processes:

• BDR Testing – Sometimes, a security incident cannot be avoided, even after meticulous preparation. In such cases, a business must bounce back quickly if it has to win back the trust of its customers. This is possible only if you have a strong business continuity and disaster recovery solution. You need to periodically test the solution to identify its vulnerabilities before an actual data loss incident happens.
• Incident Response Protocols – Every organization should have a clear protocol about what to do during a major cybersecurity incident. This should outline clear details regarding who has to be contacted, what the fail-safe measures are, how to contain the breach within a limited segment, etc.
• Monitoring Assets – With the rise in remote work, there is also a proportional rise in employees using their personal devices for office work. This introduces a new range of vulnerabilities to an organization’s critical data. You need to expand monitoring to make sure non-company assets are not accessing your critical data. Solutions like security information and event management (SIEM) can help expand monitoring and identify novel threats.

Training Your Employees

Insider threats have increased 47% in the last two years, and the only way to reduce them is through proper awareness training. Unwitting employees often fall prey to phishing or social engineering scams, most of which are easily avoidable. Employees are the first line of defense against security threats in any organization, and they must be educated accordingly.

Regular communication regarding the different types of evolving cyberthreats is essential. It is also necessary to identify high-risk individuals who could easily fall victim to an attack. You can do this by simulating fake social engineering attacks to identify these individuals and provide them with specialized training.

When it comes to training, you need to take advantage of the features of sophisticated tools in the market. For instance, tools like MyGlue can add an extra layer of security by managing your passwords and facilitating process documentation. You can also use the document-sharing features in IT Glue to share important checklists and “How To” guides in an efficient manner.

To Sum Up

Cybersecurity preparations are a must if you plan on returning to the office anytime soon. When incorporating security strategies, make sure you develop plans for a hybrid workforce that has the flexibility to operate from anywhere. Use the tips in this article as a guideline to boost your security posture and build a resilient defense against various threats.

To know more about how IT Glue can help you with your COVID-era recovery, sign up for a free demo.

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