Securing Your Legal Business's Data When Working Remotely
A lot of us are facing the challenges of transforming our life and work in the age of COVID-19. While there are some indications that current lockdown restrictions might be loosening for some, many of us are willing to make the commitment to work as safely as possible, even when it means working remotely. However, when we’re working with sensitive data outside of the protected environment of the workplace, we must take extra steps to ensure that data is secured and doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Here are a few tips on how to do that.
Protect all devices used to connect to the firm’s data
You want to ensure that employees are using only the most secure means of connecting to any data that your business has access to. As such, make sure that they’re provided with professional-level antimalware and internet protection software, and that they are all using the most updated operating systems, drivers, and work software. Out-of-date software is likely to be full of vulnerabilities.
Ensure a secure connection to your data
Even if your employee’s devices are secure, the moment where they connect to your business may leave them vulnerable to being spied on or having the data copied or taken mid-transfer. As such, you should make it clear to your team that they are not to use any public or semi-public Wi-Fi connections, even if those connections are protected (such as a Wi-Fi connection in a cafe.) If they’re accessing particularly sensitive data, you may even want to encourage them to use a virtual private network so that no-one, even going as far as their internet provider, can see what they’re accessing.
Keep your data in the safest place
Your employees need a way to access the vital data that keeps them doing their jobs. However, sending it via email or carrying it around on a USB stick is clearly not the safest way to go. As such, you may need to rely on Cloud storage options. While they are generally becoming safer, opting for a VPS server (or virtual private server) can ensure your security. Not only does this give you a server to host your data, but it encrypts the data being sent to and from that server, adding an extra layer of protection.
Teach your team to be vigilant
Even if you have the best and most secure tools at your disposal, they are only going to be as effective as the people using them. As such, it’s important you teach your employees important remote internet security tips, such as knowing about phishing scams and checking to verify any website they visit while accessing company data. There are online cybersecurity awareness courses you may want to consider encouraging them, or paying for them, to take
Needless to say, losing the data relating to your clients and their cases, not to mention contracts and other important files, can be a disaster for your business. It can be costly, lead to legal trouble, and can be a PR nightmare. Hopefully, the tips above help you avoid that.