A changing world + Cybersecurity risk

Bring employees back to the office after the disruption the coronavirus brought to the world.

Since the beginning, the world has seen changes. When we wake up in the morning and behold the sky, it is blue. In the next few hours, it has become purple, and in another few hours, it has turned white. Change has always been. We must be aware that our world is not static; it is subject to change. But what has changed in our world today? Many things have changed. There is time for everything, a time to be born, a time to die. In todays era, the influence of the internet over the lives of humans has already become a global phenomenon. Right now, almost every aspect of our lives is influenced by the internet, including the way we socialise, communicate, work and trade. The cybersecurity threat the businesses now face is immense. Now, many employers are contemplating bringing employees back to the office after the disruption the coronavirus brought to the world.

For an organisation to protect its integrity and reputation, the business assets, both the intangible or tangible, should be the most important considerations; intellectual property, human resources, devices and so on Working from home might not be ideal in keeping those assets safe in some circumstances. Managing cybersecurity in a contained environment will minimise the risk. The business organisation must encourage and enforce a return to office programme because the cybersecurity risk of working from home is high.

It is not an exaggeration to say that virtual office working has come to stay, and many organisations are adapting - using VPNs to connect to their organisations network, for example - but this is not the case for small businesses. There are four points to be discussed for instance,

  1. How secure is your network router at home? The router is a networking device that forwards data packets between computer networks. Routers perform the traffic directing functions on the internetdata sent through the internet, such as a web page or email and so on...this is supplied by your internet service provider.
  2. It is easy to be careless with an important official document when you are on your own at home.
  3. And, when having a conversation with your office on skype or zoom, discussing a crucial official matter etc., it might be a challenge to know who is listening in. In some cases, any breakdown in communication at home could put organisational documents in your possession in danger.
  4. How secure is your internet of things/internet of everything and or your mobile phone device? Some organisations allowed their employees to use their devices for business purposes. Bring your device (BYOD).

All these areas need to be carefully considered to be able to improve training materials for employees. So, awareness of security is paramount, and the good thing is that you oversee your asset, protecting it is left to you and your organisation.

Many changes are on the way, and we must be ready for change. I think organisations, businesses, and even individuals must be careful when planning not to engage in a long-term project for now.


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