With virtually the entire nation under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people have suddenly become remote workers, trying to do their jobs from home. It’s a transition that can be daunting in normal times, downright chaotic when companies have been forced to do it on short or no notice. Obviously productivity is going to be affected as workers try to adjust to this ‘new normal’ while dealing with all the personal issues entailed by this virus. But one thing that’s only starting to be noticed is the remote user security problems caused by this situation. Businesses need to be aware that their information is at high risk during this crisis amid the work from home requirements.
Increased Vulnerabilities And Attacks
The Zoom video conferencing software has been much in the news recently because of multiple security issues that were glaringly revealed during the massive increase in people using the platform due to being stuck at home. Pranksters have been ‘Zoombombing’ meetings and classes, joining uninvited by using shared passcodes and causing trouble. More than a dozen other vulnerabilities in data flow and encryption have since been discovered. Other cloud meeting video providers like GoToMeeting are similarly affected.
Hackers are rushing to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Secret Service recently warned companies that cybercriminals have ramped up their use of email, text, and phone calls to conduct scams, spread ransomware and other types of malware, and launch phishing attacks, often using the pandemic as a pretext for pleas to lure in sympathetic victims.
Dangers of The Home Environment
The vast majority of people who are being forced to work from home right now are doing so on their own computers and mobile devices. They are often using older equipment which is more vulnerable to attacks, and though they might have antivirus software installed it probably doesn’t offer the level of threat protection that many companies require. They might not have installed updates with important security patches. And they might be using an unsecured wifi network which is wide open to cybercriminals seeking to steal information.
Home computers are often used by multiple family members which increases the risk of a user inadvertently downloading malware giving a hacker access to all of the information on the device and any network they are a part of.
There are many ways to provide remote user security when a business has a chance to prepare for an employee to work from home. But with the sudden onset of this crisis and with so many employees working from home, companies are highly vulnerable to attack.
Hi-Tex Managed IT Support Solutions
Although Hi-Tex Solutions was just as blindsided by this crisis as every other business in San Antonio, we are uniquely prepared to assist companies who suddenly find their employees working remotely. We can provide mobile device managed security to include SSL VPN and endpoint protection and encryption for laptops and handheld devices. Hi-Tex can integrate cloud services like O365 OneDrive and SharePoint or Dropbox for Business, and provide hosted VoIP phone systems at home along with softphone app options for mobile users. All of which will provide increased security and smoother operations, relieving you of the burden when you have so much else to worry about.
When you need remote IT support including cloud integration IT support at home or at the office, Hi-Tex Solutions is here to help, now and always. Contact us today to learn more.
