How to combine the new IT security requirements of companies with a good user experience for employees – safe and relaxed working is the goal.
With cybercrime threats still growing steadily, the question of how to make enterprise collaboration not only more secure, but also more relaxed, arises more than ever. This applies to employees on the road, in the company, or in the home office as well as to IT departments.
After all, according to a survey by IDC, the top 1 IT security issue is the balance between corporate security requirements and a good user experience for employees – this is where the best and most practical solutions need to be found.
Below are some pointers as to what are appropriate measures.
New Structures, New Attack Surfaces
Remote work and home offices have become an integral part of our working lives in recent years. When it comes to security, however, this also shows where the possible Achilles’ heels of the new constructs lie: Not enough laptops in the home, insecure access or shared or multiple passwords. In addition, the new home workers often work with so-called “shadow IT” by using their own applications and apps (whether out of habit or because they find the company’s own offerings too complicated). All of this provides new attack surfaces for hackers.
Above All, Secure It Is Also About Awareness.
The most important measure: creating a real awareness among all stakeholders to behave “cyber smart” at home as well. Companies must ensure that they reach employees with this message. This can be done with an information page or a permanent communication channel for such issues. However, both are best. The facts speak for themselves here: according to studies, 80% of all data leaks can be traced back to weak, reused or stolen passwords. So there are good reasons to invest time and resources in raising awareness – this applies to users in the company as well as in the home office or on the road.
The New Conditions Are Also an Opportunity for It Security
Let’s look on the bright side: the new conditions are also a unique opportunity for every company to sharpen its own defenses from an implementation and security perspective: Especially with Security-as-a-Service and strong passwords that secure employees and business well. These are the basics against viruses and other malware. And they help employees and companies to actually be cyber secure. This approach also reduces the burden on IT, for example, because fewer password resets are required.
People Are the Weakest Link in The Security Chain
It is what it is: people themselves are often the weakest link in the security chain. Employees who do not change passwords or use the same passwords across many user accounts. This is especially true if no education or awareness is provided in this regard. Creating a solid IT security readiness and culture takes time and training. That said, we all need to respond quickly at this time. When it comes to access management, everyone needs to understand that poor password hygiene (not changing default passwords, password reuse or weak passwords) increases the chance of becoming a victim of a hacker.
Valuable Cybersecurity Tips for The Home Office
For most people, home office means that records, documents and conversations are more openly accessible to others than usual, be it just family. Therefore, it is even more important than before that all programs have long, randomly generated passwords.
With a password manager like LastPass, businesses are on the safe side because LastPass generates and stores unique passwords for each login. Username and passwords are then stored in a “safe” where they are encrypted and managed. This is highly cost-effective for improving employee cybersecurity.
LastPass can be integrated into the workflow quickly, seamlessly and easily. Also of interest here is the multifactor authentication variant, which brings additional security, especially when employees log in from different locations.
LastPass can provide both: security for the company and a pleasant user experience for the employees and the IT department.
