Data protection and IT security are among the biggest challenges faced by companies. Digitalization and the introduction of alternative working models, in which your employees work both remotely from home and in the office, mean that the question of IT security is all the more important. How can you as a company ensure personal and company-related data protection?
Key facts
- The switch between office & home office has raised the question of data protection & IT security.
- In principle, hybrid work does not require an increased security concept in the company. After all, devices must necessarily have certain security standards — regardless of where employees work.
- Decentralized communication is moving many organizational structures into virtual space, where most threats also lurk.
- In particular, the ignorance of employees often leads to a security risk & the development of security gaps.
- In addition to the right technical set-up, it is therefore important to properly train employees for hybrid work & data protection.
- Find out in our white paper how to optimally protect your company & employees.
IT security challenges
Da hybrid work has become the standard in many companies, the topic of data protection and IT security has become more and more important. Basically, it can be said that the hybrid work model has no major impact on the hardware that your employees use.
In principle, they are already prepared for the changing model through anti-virus programs or clients. However, there are some challenges that require a rethink in IT security:
Decentralized networks
The biggest difference to the traditional working model is the decentralized network. Employees are now working from different locations and using various networks to access company data. These networks often do not offer the same level of security as the centralized networks in hybrid offices.
For example, if your employees work in the café next door, this can pose a risk to IT security and data protection in a hybrid set-up.
Increased access to cloud services
With the shift to remote work, the use of cloud services for team communication increased. While this allows access to data and applications from anywhere, it also creates a potential security risk. Without proper IT security measures, cybercriminals could be able to intercept or access sensitive information.
Endpoint security
In hybrid working model There are a variety of devices (laptops, smartphones, tablets) that access corporate data. This diversity makes managing endpoint security complex. Any of these devices can be a potential gateway for cyber attacks, especially if they're not patched and updated regularly.
Human factors
Human factors represent one of the biggest challenges for IT security. For example, employees can unintentionally react to phishing emails or use insecure passwords. Since they are now working from home or Work on the go, it can be more difficult to educate them about good security practices. For hybrid work, clear rules for the use and handling of data.
Strategies to improve IT security & data protection
To improve and maintain IT security in your company in the long term, you should pay particular attention to these factors:
Safety awareness of your employees
Another decisive factor for IT security in a hybrid working environment is the security awareness of employees. Training and awareness-raising measures are essential to make employees aware of common threats and to provide them with best practices on how to handle information securely.
This includes dealing with phishing emails, protecting passwords, avoiding unsafe downloads, and identifying suspicious activity. By making your employees active participants in IT security as a company, the risk of security breaches is significantly reduced.
Securing networks and devices
Securing networks and devices is the basis of secure hybrid work. As a company, you should ensure that your networks are protected by firewalls and the latest security updates.
In addition, your employees who work remotely should have access to secure VPN connections to encrypt their connections and ensure the protection of sensitive corporate data. Using secure passwords and regularly updating software and operating systems are also essential steps to strengthen IT security.
Implementing multi-factor authentication can help prevent unauthorized access to corporate data. By combining something that the user knows (such as a password), something that the user has (such as a smartphone), and something that is unique to a single user (such as a fingerprint), MFA significantly increases the security of the user account.
Regular review and adjustment
IT security and data protection are two essential elements that require regular review and adjustment. You should continuously monitor your security measures to identify and respond to potential vulnerabilities. Conducting regular security audits, penetration tests, and risk analyses makes it possible to keep the IT infrastructure up to date and react proactively to threats.
Seatti as secure software for hybrid work
The hybrid set-up uses a variety of different tools for communication or project management. This is usually a nightmare for your employees. Because the sheer number of different software solutions can become too many. Each of these tools requires a security check, new login details, and so on at the beginning.
Seatti is ISO27001 certified so that you can safely skip this step and not have to deal with the issue of data protection and IT security. This means that we not only preach the usual phrase “Our servers are in Germany,” but have also received external awards for protecting personal and company-related data.
By integrating with Microsoft Teams, your employees can not only work in their usual environment workplaces or meeting rooms book, but can take over previous rights through the SSO login. This makes Seatti quick and secure to implement.
