How a Remote Work Policy Could Actually Strengthen Data Security | WIRED Brand Lab

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It’s proven that workplace flexibility

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boosts morale, productivity, and retention.

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But there may be a surprising added benefit

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to a remote work policy shift.

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Improved cyber security.

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In the U.S., companies shell out an average of

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8.2 million dollars a year dealing with cyber attacks.

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In 2018, the highest single ransomware payout was $930,000.

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So it’s understandable that corporations are hypervigilant

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about how employees access company data.

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But assumptions that working remotely

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is riskier are misguided.

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In fact, cloud based remote work could result

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in a safer foundation for the future of work.

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Nowadays, holstering cyber security isn’t optional.

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In just two years, ransomware attacks are up 97%.

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And while some companies associate decentralized

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employee’s work with greater risk, it actually presents

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an ideal time to make data more secure

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by forcing businesses to safeguard their information

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Technology reporter, Quentin Hardy, puts it this way.

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The same way that your money is probably safer

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mixed up with other people’s money in a bank vault

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than it is sitting alone in your dresser drawer,

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your data may actually be safer in the cloud.

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And while companies are worried about remote employee

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security, they’re often overlooking in office behaviors,

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like leaving a laptop unlocked and unattended,

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that are just as dangerous.

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In fact, a study by Alert Logic found on premise

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IT infrastructure is more likely to be attacked

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than public, cloud based systems.

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Having staff working away from headquarters

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is an opportunity to upgrade systems

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to software defined wide area networks

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These feature security options that offer

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end to end protection, reducing vulnerability

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and protecting transactions between the network

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An SD-WAN with best in class threat management

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protects all parts of the network,

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including remote access points,

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while mitigating D-Dos and ransomware threats.

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With industrial grade cyber security,

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both on the network and in the cloud,

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companies have more than a fighting chance

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against the data breach or attack.

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A full 90% of businesses believe improving cyber security

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boosts their reputation.

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And 89% say world class cyber security

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is a competitive differentiator.

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So while logging into work files on a coffee shop’s

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public wifi isn’t the best idea,

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it doesn’t mean remote access is inherently unsafe.

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In fact, setting foundation for secure remote work

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could close the door on a lot of future security headaches.

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