How to Minimize the Security Risks of Working Remotely?

Employers are increasingly concerned about information sharing and data security that arise due to working remotely or working from home. Businesses assess potential risks as and when they arise and try to educate employees on data security implications. But, more often than not, cyber security risks occur due to accidental human error or negligence.

Bearing that in mind, let’s analyze how implementing employee monitoring software addresses the security risks of working remotely.

How cyber security risks are created?

Hackers are well aware of the common threats that businesses are subject to (error, negligence) when there is no proper employee monitoring system in place. Hence, they trick employees into clicking on emails with malicious links or downloadable files that have a virus in it. The method of attack varies depending on the type of industry that you are in but the below are most common for businesses that deal with client data and information.

• Email phishing – Phishing email or messages appear realistic as if receiving from within the organization where hackers trick your employees into giving them access to their device
• Hacking – Unauthorized access to your computer or network due to compromised password
• Malware attack – Downloading or installing malicious software on your computer, so hackers can gain access to your device
• Ransomware – More serious where hackers take crucial business information details as hostage for a ransom

Benefits of implementing employee monitoring software:

Implementing employee monitoring software is a logical solution for modern businesses to overcome insider threats that arise due to remote working. Here’s what employee monitoring allows you to do;

1. Increase security level by 95%:

The employee monitoring software will track user activity and help you spot employees who breach company guidelines in terms of misusing company assets (email, network, data and so on).

2. Monitor your employee activity:

Monitor your employees from the moment they are logged in to their system to the time they logout. Record their activity as long as they are logged in and see what they are up to.

3. Restrict/block access to websites:

Tack the websites that your employees visit, analyze them and restrict access if they are not relevant to the task that they do.

4. Restrict/block access to applications:

Track the applications that your employees use/visit and block them if they are not relevant to the nature of tasks that they do.

5. Keep an evidence:

Get time stamped screenshots as evidence and hold employees accountable for violating company policy. You can alert your IT team and use the evidence as a nature of breach to avoid such incidents in the future.

6. Alert your employees :

Analyze time stamped screenshots and alert your team if they happened to visit suspicious or unsecured websites unknowingly. So they take note and avoid such websites that could cause damage to intellectual property.

7. Protect crucial business information:

Analyze screen shots and see how careful your employees are while handling client information. If required you can alert your management team and prevent data from falling into the wrong hands.

Examples of how Handdy help in Employee Monitoring:

1. Analyze the list of applications used or websites visited:

Get a detailed report of the URLs that your employees visit, including the duration they spend on each website. Check if those websites are relevant to the nature of tasks that they do, categorize them and restrict access if required. Take a look at the sample image below:

(Sample shows the list of websites visited)

Handdy gives you a similar report showing the list of applications that your employees use on a particular day/week/month. You can select filters, generate reports and analyze the list of applications your employees have used, categorize them and restrict access if required

2. Get analytical reports on the applications used or websites visited:

The analytical report gives you an overview of the list of applications/websites your employees used for a particular day/week/month. Check if these applications are relevant to the nature of tasks that your employees do. Accordingly you can categorize them as productive, unproductive or restrict access (if required). Take a look at this sample report showing the names of applications used;

The sample above shows the names of applications used by the employee along with the duration spent on each application.

Similarly, you can generate reports for your employees and analyze the list of websites or applications used by them. You can immediately alert your IT team and take defensive approaches to eliminate insider threats or other potential risks.

Before you go…

Businesses demand productivity, quality and accountability. Micro-managing your remote teams or work from home employees to meet business demand is not always possible. However, remote employee monitoring software has become increasingly popular in addressing these issues and has become an important part of businesses in 2020.

Have you tried Handdy yet? Check our employee monitoring features and how it addresses security risks of working remotely.