3 Ways SMBs Can Improve Cybersecurity for Remote Workers

Over the past two years, small businesses all across the US got a crash course in remote work. In many cases, allowing employees to work from home was all that kept businesses afloat. But now that restrictions on in-person operations are all but gone, something unexpected is happening — employees are resisting the idea of returning to their offices.

That reality is putting plenty of small businesses in a tough spot. They only have two choices. They can try and replace the workers who don't want to return to the office, or they can make remote work a permanent option for their employees. If they choose the former, they face a major struggle to attract and hire new workers. And if they choose the latter, they have to confront a different challenge: cybersecurity.

Throughout the pandemic, remote workers were a big target for cybercriminals. By exploiting undertrained and under-protected remote workers, they were able to launch a wave of ransomware attacks all over the world. And that means small businesses considering a shift to permanent remote work have to find ways to protect vulnerable remote workers in a hurry. Here are three ways that they can do it.

Set Hardware Standards

For most small businesses, supplying all employees with company-owned hardware isn't a realistic option. That means their remote workers tend to rely on their personal computers and devices to get their work done. And then those businesses are at the mercy of those devices, cybersecurity-wise.

So, the first step in shoring up remote workers' cybersecurity is to set clear standards on what types of hardware are acceptable and how they may be used. For example, minimum OS requirements are a good idea to weed out older, more vulnerable devices. And it's also best to set minimum security standards for the home networks those devices use to connect to company resources.

Ideally, all of these policies should be a part of a comprehensive bring-your-own-device policy that employees must agree to as a condition of their continued employment.

Offer Cybersecurity Training

No effort to improve remote workers' cybersecurity can succeed if it doesn't include security awareness training for employees. That's because an astounding 98% of cyberattacks involve social engineering or other methods of employee manipulation aimed at gaining unauthorized access to protected systems. So, well-trained employees are a business's best option to fend off the majority of cyberattacks.

The good news is that small businesses can turn to a variety of freely-available resources to help their employees learn what they need to know. Companies like Amazon provide free security training courses that are a good place to start. And the Federal government also maintains a list of free and low-cost resources that businesses can use to get their employees up to speed on the current threat landscape.

Monitor Employees' Access

One of the key cybersecurity challenges small businesses face in a remote-work setting is that they have little visibility into what their employees are doing while on the clock. And that means they have little recourse but to trust that their workers are following security guidelines and doing the right thing. But with the stakes being so high — it's foolish to leave it at that.

So, small businesses, at a minimum, should be using monitoring tools to log and observe access to company systems and data. That could alert them to unusual activity that could signify a cybersecurity threat. And, where appropriate, small businesses should use monitoring software to observe workers with access to particularly sensitive business data. These days, such features are baked into platforms offering time tracking for remote employees, making them easily accessible and affordable, too. Another good thing to consider is proper data management and the principle of least privilege - only give them access to what they absolutely require doing their job.

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, it seems obvious that remote work is going to remain a part of standard operating procedures for the majority of businesses. That means even small businesses who don't prefer that option might be compelled to offer it. If they don't, they'll only exacerbate their hiring woes.

But before they dive headlong into permanent remote work accommodations, it's essential to give cybersecurity considerations plenty of thought. The three methods of improving remote worker security covered here are merely a starting place. They'll do a decent job of reducing risk for the businesses that employ them. They aren't, however, a panacea. Small businesses — and businesses in general — will need to remain ever-vigilant in the face of evolving cyber threats. It's the only way they'll ever assure themselves a modicum of security in today's digital environment.