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Over the years, working culture has changed significantly, with modern workspaces inculcating the idea of kitchen spaces, coffee shops and home workspaces. The work culture has moved from a rigid framework to one that offers more freedom.
But with this growing and transforming work culture, the gap between remote and in-office jobs, on the one hand, there are services easily accessible to the in-office employees, whereas on the other hand, the physical gap with remote employees is continuously increasing, whether it be services, conveying the data protocols or secure working.
So the question arises: how to bridge this data security gap?
And the answer is by protecting the information that exists not just on the digital screens but also beyond them. To know further, read on!
Key Takeaways
- Remote employment has broadened the security perimeter, making home office protection as important as corporate workplace protection.
- While many organizations invest heavily in digital security tools, such as VPNs, MFA, and encryption, physical documents are still a significant risk.
- Good security risks such as clean desk policies and the secure storage of documents help to lower the risk of accidental data exposure.
- Workers should be aware of what data is considered sensitive so they can handle customer, financial and internal business information.
The vast majority of companies concentrate on locking down their digital information.
This could include setting up a Virtual Private Network (VPN), using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to access information, or making sure that any cloud storage used is encrypted to the highest possible level.
These are just a few examples, but it is obvious that companies have to spend a lot of time and money trying to stay on top of security when it comes to information stored in digital format on screens.
The problem, however, is that this information is only half the story.
Yes, information stored digitally is highly vulnerable,as compared to that in physical format.
Just because information has not been transformed into a digital format does not mean it is any less valuable.
In fact, many organizations fail to realize just how sensitive physical information can be, simply because they focus on stopping hackers from gaining information retrieval stored in digital format.
Have we become so concentrated on hackers that we forgot about the simple recycling bin?
It is not until information is left to be done away with that the true extent of vulnerability becomes apparent.
People generally do not think about the printed information and then thrown away.
And yet, it is in these discarded pieces of paper that the greatest risk may lie.
Just as there are typical life news cycles in a corporate building, there are similar cycles in a home workspace.
For instance, printed information is distributed and scrutinised during meetings, such as video conferencing sessions. Sometimes notes are even jotted down on legal pads and then distributed to team members during meetings.
Most such printed information, including :
But in a typical corporate building, Information in print that is no longer needed is tossed into a secure gray bin.
Maybe no one would even care. Maybe they would. Between the lines of our digital lives, there is a lot of data that can easily reveal our information if it is not handled properly.
This is the biggest risk in today’s workplace and is far more threatening than a company engaging in industrial espionage. And that’s the point.
To address the numerous gaps in physical security associated with working from home today, the organization must foster a culture that supports the mindset of data security found in an office, promoting new work habits and upholding a remote work programme environment that supports these security habits.
While this does not mean that all work-from-home employees must be under constant surveillance and monitoring of all activity, it does not imply that strict regulations must be put in place either.
Extreme and unrealistic security measures can actually increase risk rather than reduce it, as employees are less likely to keep a safe work environment when they constantly find ways to work around the rules in place to achieve their goals.
Thus, the organization must create new work on safety habits that are realistic, promote work-from-home security, and maintain a secure working environment simultaneously.
First, by bringing the clean desk policy home.
There is nothing like leaving a bunch of printed-out work papers all over your dining table to freak out your family and other guests.
So long as you have a decent amount of drawer space at home, it is a simple matter to lock up any active work papers each evening and bring the chaos of work to an end.
It brings a bit of mental peace, too.
So, where do we draw the line between what is public and what is private?
Second, organizations must inform workers of what type of information is considered sensitive in nature and thus must be kept secure.
Many people would not realize that certain familiar documents and pieces of information are, in fact, very sensitive.
This can include customer names and contact information, internal information about how a company operates, and financial information in general.
The final lifecycle issue regarding physical information is destruction.
Printed information that has served its the objective of the review to be destroyed to prevent reuse by others.
Home shredders are not generally appropriate for most remote workers, as they tend to clog, are limited to a few sheets at a time, and make simple strip cuts that can be easily reassembled.
It’s a frustrating mess.
For teams based in large business hubs, the ideal approach to the physical security of paper documents is to use available professional disposal services.
They can arrange for certified shredding services in Oakland to be carried out at a location near your team’s base.
Alternatively, the disposal company can gather the documents from your team’s location.
Once the documents have been destroyed, The team can be confident that all sensitive information has been destroyed and there is no risk of an accidental disclosure.
Protecting information and physical records are the responsibility of everyone who works for a company, and, ultimately, protecting the organization means protecting its employees and customers.
Implementing security policies and Procedures for protecting information at employees’ home offices should not make employees feel as though they are being punished or that the procedures are unnecessary.
Employees will accept Adhere to security responsibilities to security procedures if they understand the reasons behind the procedures.
But it requires a conscious shift.
Protecting an organization focuses on safeguarding its staff and its customers.
In enabling employees to work from home, organizations can benefit from the flexibility without compromising security.
As with so many things in life, developing good physical security habits at home is key to successful security.
With the right culture and a few simple practices, security can become second nature to everyone.
Remote employment is more flexible, but it also demands better security practices.
With the right combination of digital protections and responsible physical document management, sensitive information can be protected, and employees can work confidently from anywhere.
Key challenges include potential conflicts between surveillance for security and employee privacy rights.
Avoid setting up your workspace in bed. It isn’t good for your body posture and you might end up going back to sleep.
A VPN extends a corporate network through encrypted connections made over the Internet. Because the traffic is encrypted between the device and the network, traffic remains private as it travels.
This intersection reveals a harsh reality—enhancing cybersecurity to prevent or fight off threats could mean infringing on individual privacy rights.
