The Future of Hybrid Workplace Cybersecurity

The last few decades have changed the way people work drastically. This change was only accelerated with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as more and more workers switched to either a remote or hybrid work policy. While remote work has declined since the end of the pandemic, a hybrid-style workplace is still incredibly common and is predicted to stay in the long run. While this offers many benefits to employees, it poses unique cybersecurity risks to employers which must be addressed. Let’s talk about the future of hybrid workplace cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity Trends in the Hybrid Workplace

Before learning the importance of building up a cybersecurity strategy, it’s crucial to look at the modern trends in the field of the hybrid workforce. Currently, the following trends have been outlined regarding cybersecurity:

1. Employees working from home have resulted in increased cybersecurity concerns
2. The Internet of Things is evolving quickly, which is likely to open the door to new types of cyber attacks
3. Ransomware, in particular, is on the rise due to the pandemic
4. Social engineering attacks have gotten cleverer and better at tricking employees into giving up sensitive information
5. The improvement of multifactor authentication is bolstering the success of cybersecurity in hybrid workforces
6. There already has been and will continue to be an increase in the attention on mobile cybersecurity efforts for organizations

The greatest danger of hybrid work from a cybersecurity standpoint is that employers must trust employees to be responsible for company data in their homes or other workspaces. While having this trust is all well and good, it’s very possible for employees to slip up in such a way that puts your company data at a major risk. To avoid this, actively practicing cybersecurity enhancement measures should be a company’s top priority when preparing for the future of hybrid work.

Enhancing Your Cybersecurity for the Future of Work

Building out a cybersecurity strategy is difficult, especially when your employees work from their own personal locations half the time. With that said, consider using some of the following strategies to strengthen your security measures today.

Integrate Multifactor Authentication into Your Organization

For those unfamiliar with the term, multifactor authentication refers to using multiple methods of accessing a server, desktop, or other software. A standard username and password would be one form of authentication, as an example, but it is also one that can potentially be hacked. Requiring a secondary form of authentication, such as a code or app verification on a second registered device, is much more secure. There are far more types of multifactor authentication to consider, so you’ll want to find one that fits your business strategy.

Set Up Cybersecurity Training for Employees

A business’s employees are the first line of defense against potential issues that may arise. They will be the individuals targeted by cybercriminals in most cases, so setting up training for your workforce to outline what common cyberattacks look like is beneficial.

Utilize Encrypted Applications for Business Purposes

With everyone working from their own personal space, it can be tempting to allow employees to use personal devices for work-related purposes. However, this is a bad idea as their personal activity on these devices could open those devices up to viruses and general cybersecurity issues. Make use of encrypted communication and data storage apps and mandate their use for your business to ensure data is not left open to an attack.

Make Use of Cloud Services Such as VDIs

Finally, consider using cloud-based services for hybrid workers to allow for the use of Virtual Desktop Interfaces. These are essentially specific windows on a computer that connects to company-secured servers remotely, thus allowing employees to access data through an encrypted method.

Take Action to Protect Organizational Data Today

Ensuring your workplace is set up for the hybrid future of work has never been more important, and taking care of cybersecurity is the best starting point. However, building out an effective cybersecurity strategy is challenging. To that point, if your business is in the Columbus, Cleveland, or Akron area and needs help setting up these services, don’t hesitate to contact us at Warwick as soon as possible.