Effective Project Management for Cybersecurity While Working Remotely

The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 compelled most businesses and organizations to pivot toward remote working.

For many business owners and managers, this may mean considering new ways of communicating with staff, structuring processes around geography, and even implementing new technology tools.

Companies today must contend with the fact that employees are working remotely not just during a pandemic but permanently.

Signs indicate that remote and hybrid work arrangements are here to stay; now that the frantic rush to establish practical solutions has passed, tech executives have more time to consider and build better remote working environments.

One key concern that is often top-of-mind during this time of upheaval is cybersecurity. Simply put, with how much company data is left in the hands of remote workers today, a keen awareness of cybersecurity is a must for remote workers.

In this article, we’ll explore seven ways to beef up your company's project management and cybersecurity protocols for remote workers.

Use a VPN

This first tip may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to emphasize the need for all employees working remotely to use a VPN. A VPN (virtual private network) creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and the internet. This makes it harder for someone to hack into your system or steal your data.

There are many paid and free VPN solutions on the market. Make sure to research different options before deciding on one, or consider implementing more than one for extra protection.

Cloud-Native Technologies

Cloud-native technologies allow you to access and communicate with your work systems seamlessly while working remotely. They also allow for better visibility into what’s happening on the business side.

The benefits of cloud-native technologies are legion. They make it easier for employees to collaborate and share data while allowing the security team to move faster and see more when responding to potential threats or breaches.

When looking into cybersecurity solutions that operate in the cloud, you’ll want an integrated solution that can help protect your organization from endpoint to email.

Data Loss Prevention

Data loss prevention, or DLP, is a cybersecurity solution that detects and prevents data breaches. Since it blocks the extraction of sensitive data, organizations use DLP for internal security and regulatory compliance.

The ways that DLP supports long-term security goals for your company include:

• Detecting data loss in real-time - by blocking the transfer of sensitive data outside the organization, you can prevent breaches or leaks before they happen.

• Ensuring regulatory compliance - with DLP, organizations can protect themselves from penalties resulting from non-compliance with regulations like California’s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

• DLP allows organizations to monitor sensitive data at the source - meaning that when an employee accesses a file, DLP can detect whether or not it contains high-risk content.

Zero-Trust Network Access

A zero-trust model is a security framework that enforces strict user and device authentication throughout the network.

Zero-trust models, as you can tell by the name, remove implicit trust on all users within a particular network. If your company employs remote workers, a zero-trust model can help to ensure that only authorized employees have access to the company’s data and systems.

Zero-trust models can be difficult to implement, but they are worth exploring if you want to take your cybersecurity strategy up a notch.

Process Automation

Automating processes is a key part of implementing effective project management strategies when working remotely. It can also be instrumental in keeping your data and systems secure since it ensures that actions are taken swiftly to contain breaches or incidents.

For example, automating employee onboarding and offboarding ensures that when an employee leaves, access to their accounts is revoked with no delay. Automating the routing of actionable alerts to Slack or Teams can also help reduce critical response times during a security incident.

Process automation is essential for better remote security, and it should be a key part of any organization’s strategy.

Employee Training

A company can have all the latest technology and processes in place to protect its data and systems, but it won’t matter much if the right training isn’t given.

All employees should receive regular cybersecurity education as part of their routine onboarding process. From day one they will be aware of what is expected of them when working remotely — that includes anything related to security.

In addition to formal training, employees should have a way of reporting incidents or concerns directly so that the security team can respond accordingly. This ensures there’s no lapse in communication and proper action is taken immediately.

Speak with your vendor about how they conduct employee cybersecurity education, as well as the processes they use for remote data access.

Employee training is a key part of any effective cybersecurity strategy, and it’s especially important when working remotely.

Make sure everyone involved in the remote work process receives proper education so that they can prevent security incidents from happening — or at least be aware enough to report them as soon as possible.

Banning BYOD

BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies can be difficult to manage and often lead to security breaches.

One way to combat this is to prohibit employees from using their personal devices for work-related tasks. This may seem like a drastic measure, but it is effective in reducing the risk of data loss or theft.

A BYOD ban can also simplify company-issued mobile device management (MDM) programs and make it easier to enforce policies across the board.

Banning BYOD is a controversial solution, but one that is effective in preventing security incidents from occurring. Make sure you know what this would entail for your workforce so there are no surprises down the road.

If you’re looking for an effective way to manage cybersecurity while having a sizeable remote working force, be sure to explore the strategies we outlined above. Implementing even one of these can make a big difference in your organization’s security posture.

Regi Publico is a full-time writer who is also an artist on the side. She takes pride in her towering collection of books and loves reading about anything under the sun. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge through every article that she writes!