You’re a cybersecurity manager with remote workers. How do you ensure everyone is on the same page?

Implement a robust virtual private network (VPN) for secure remote access, ensuring all employees connect through it. Enforce regular security awareness training sessions to educate remote workers on best practices and potential threats. Utilize centralized communication platforms for consistent updates and policies, fostering a culture of open communication regarding cybersecurity matters. Regularly audit and monitor remote devices to detect and address any security vulnerabilities promptly.

Managing a diverse geographic team, with members in different time zones and countries, poses challenges similar with remote employees. To address these challenges, fostering open and transparent communication channels is essential, utilizing tools such as email platforms like MS Teams. It is crucial to clearly define expectations, work hours, availability, KPIs and implementing project management tools like JIRA to track tasks and project progress. Additionally, articulating team and individual goals, milestones, and regularly reviewing progress help keep everyone aligned with the team's priorities. Recognizing and celebrating individual and team achievements, contribute to a cohesive and successful team dynamic.

Our strategy for aligning a remote workforce revolves around robust communication, continuous policy education, and leveraging trusted security tools. Adhering to the E8MM and NIST framework. We prioritise regular, engaging communication through various platforms, comprehensive training programs to foster a culture of security awareness, and the use of industry-trusted tools to ensure a multi-layered security approach. Security with an excellent end-user experience is key, achieved by integrating security practices that don't hinder productivity.

Ensuring remote workers are equipped with secure tools is fundamental to safeguarding your organization's digital assets and maintaining operational integrity. To achieve this, begin by issuing company-configured devices. These devices, whether laptops or mobile phones, should come pre-installed with robust antivirus and anti-malware solutions, and be configured for disk encryption to protect stored data at rest, even if stolen. The cornerstone of remote work security is a reliable Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN encrypts internet traffic, safeguarding data in transit. This is particularly crucial when employees access company resources over public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks.

Providing secure tools to remote workers involves equipping them with trusted, user-friendly security solutions that enable safe, efficient work from any location, ensuring both data protection and productivity are maintained. Secure tools that are user friendly will encourage their use and avoid people finding their own insecure alternatives.

An organisation should ensure that cyber security awareness training is provided to all personnel in order to assist them in understanding their security responsibilities. Furthermore, the content of cyber security awareness training should be tailored to the needs of specific groups of personnel. For example, personnel with responsibilities beyond that of a normal user will require tailored privileged user training.

Communication plans - Establish clear communication channels for your remote team. Use secure, encrypted platforms approved by the organization. Diversify communication methods: Rely on more than just email. Consider using instant messaging, video calls, and collaboration tools. Emergency Contact: Ensure that remote cybersecurity employees and other key staff can be safely reached in case of emergencies

Know the limits of your team and own tackle the risk head on. At the end of the day, it effects every stakeholder in the business when a security incident happens.

Be transparent. Have a clear measurable strategy and review progress on a predefined cadence. Keeping a team marching to the same beat takes time, but a solid framework will go along way.