Hybrid-Working & Online Security: 7 Ways to Combat Threats in 2022

The world is transitioning and so are the companies. From a traditional work environment, hybrid working is taking over. The transition took place when the pandemic hit the entire world and changed the working dynamics. Working from home was the new norm back then. However, now that the pandemic has mostly ended, employees have developed a new norm which is hybrid working. Online security was always a concern for companies, but does it still continue to be a problem for organizations and businesses with the transition to hybrid working? Continue reading to find out.

The Hybrid Working Model

Employees all over the world have transitioned from remote working to hybrid working post-pandemic. During covid, employees had to learn how to work remotely from home. Now, when they get used to working from home it has become difficult for most employees to be efficient in working in the office. Hence, companies allowed a flexible approach to letting employees split between working from home and working in the office.

This approach has been given the term Hybrid working. There are different types of policies that companies are letting employees choose from in the name of hybrid working. These include:

1. Hybrid at-will

Hybrid at-will lets employees choose among which days they want to work from home and which days they want to come to the office. This setting works well for most organizations as well as employees.

2. Hybrid Manager-scheduling

As the title suggests, in this setting the manager would decide on which day his/her team would come to the office and which day they would work remotely.

3. Hybrid Split-week

In this setting, the organization or company would assign certain days for remote work and certain days for the office that the employees have to follow.

4. Hybrid mix

A hybrid mix policy is a combination of all three types. 

The New Work Norm and Online Security

Ransomware attacks have increased which is evident by huge and complex attacks such as Hafnium, Colonial Pipeline and Nobelium. This indicates how online security should be a major concern for all businesses and organizations these days.

Research shows that there have been thirty billion email threats in 2020 while ransomware and Firmware attacks are on the hike. There are more than fifty million password attacks every day. These statistics emphasize enough on the need for online security. The shift from working on-site to working remotely has led to hybrid working models. This has led to employees remotely working while on the move. Hence, getting exposed to various online security threats. With this new work mode, employees are working on home networks as well as corporate networks simultaneously, doing both personal as well as business activities side by side. This whole working setup sounds very promising, however, there are various security risks that are associated with it. The networks that organizations are using have no firm borders which lead to online security issues. Now that hybrid working is the new trend, a question that arises is how to combat online security threats to make the working experience worthwhile.The answer is below.

Seven Ways to Combat Security Threats in 2022

As hybrid working takes over the business environment in 2022, there must be some security measures to combat cyber threats. Here are seven ways to combat security risks and threats:

1. Have stronger Passwords.

The recent attacks show a clear theme for cybercrime and it is led by weak passwords. Cybercriminals use phishing and password spraying to attack. To combat security threats, the first thing that companies should do is create stronger passwords and use tools like a password manager. A strong password would help in keeping the identity protected and help combat brute force attacks. Such attacks are caused when a hacker or cybercriminal makes use of software that creates known or random passwords which are acquired through data breaches.A stronger password plays a very important role when it comes to Hybrid working. Think of it as when a company’s employee is working remotely, and a cybercriminal is just sitting next to him. A glance at the employee’s screen could lead to security threats. Using a password manager could help in such circumstances. 

2. Use multi-factor authentication or two-factor authentication.

Multifactor authentication is a great defense layer that companies can offer their customers. If not multifactor authentication then at least have two-factor authentication available. It will work as a layer of protection for someone accessing your account. Some call it an extra blanket for security against threats. Two-factor authentication is a must in today’s time when work is done remotely and security threats are on the urge.

3. Be cautious in clicking links.

A very vital way to combat security threats is to be very cautious in clicking on links. If clicking on links is inevitable, always double-check what you are clicking as it could lead to a phishing attack which is the last thing that you want to experience. Usually, a phishing attack is delivered by an SMS or email. A cybercriminal would entice you to click on a link that would lead you to download a virus or to a website that is malicious. One must ensure that it is the right source that you want to click on as the difference might be very minute and anyone could fall prey to it. For example, instead of bathandbodyworks.com, it would be bathamdbodyworks.com.

4. Connect to a Virtual Private Network

What most employees and users do is use public Wi-Fi when they are working remotely. Although, this seems to be a very tempting option it's not. When you use Public Wi-Fi all the traffic on the network could be shared with anyone. Moreover, if you are sending any private or sensitive data without encryption then it could be intercepted by otters on the network or the network operator. If there is no choice but to use Public Wi-Fi, then you must ensure that you are not sharing any sensitive data over it.

5. Manage your Devices and Applications.

Device and App updates have much more to do than just bringing cool new features. Updates usually provide security patches which are very vital. You must always keep your laptop, phone and NAS updated so that it does not get hit by malware and other viruses.

6. Use Apps that are Privacy-Focused.

When you are downloading and using apps, make sure that you use privacy-focused apps. Such applications help protect you from cybercrime attacks and safeguard your personal information like your ad interactions, contacts, and browsing history.There are some privacy-centered software that you can use instead of the mainstream apps and programs such as Brave, ProtonMail, Startpage, and Signal etc.

7. Always have a Passcode lock on your phone.

A cyber attacker may not always be on the other side of the screen. He or she may be right beside you. Always be cautious to save any sensitive data on your phone as in case of loss or theft anyone could get access to your data and it may make you vulnerable to an attack.A passcode lock can help you safeguard your data and information from others. It is a precaution that you must take but at the same time avoid saving any information on your phone including passwords, sensitive photos, and information.

Conclusion

While hybrid working has become a trend for employees and companies, it has made organizations more prone to cyber-attacks. Online security has to be a priority for everyone and companies, employees and users have to take some actions to combat the threats.