homepage
Open menu
Go one level top
  • Train and Certify
    • Overview
    • Get Started in Cyber
    • Courses
    • GIAC Certifications
    • Training Roadmap
    • OnDemand
    • Live Training
    • Summits
    • Cyber Ranges
    • College Degrees & Certificates
    • Scholarship Academies
    • NICE Framework
    • Specials
  • Manage Your Team
    • Overview
    • Group Purchasing
    • Why Work with SANS
    • Build Your Team
    • Hire Cyber Talent
    • Team Development
    • Private Training
    • Security Awareness Training
    • Leadership Training
    • Industries
  • Resources
    • Overview
    • Internet Storm Center
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Tools
    • Newsletters
    • Blog
    • Podcasts
    • Posters & Cheat Sheets
    • Summit Presentations
    • Security Policy Project
  • Focus Areas
    • Cyber Defense
    • Cloud Security
    • Digital Forensics & Incident Response
    • Industrial Control Systems
    • Cyber Security Leadership
    • Offensive Operations
  • Get Involved
    • Overview
    • Join the Community
    • Work Study
    • Teach for SANS
    • CISO Network
    • Partnerships
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
  • About
    • About SANS
    • Our Founder
    • Instructors
    • Mission
    • Diversity
    • Awards
    • Contact
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Customer Reviews
    • Press
  • SANS Sites
    • GIAC Security Certifications
    • Internet Storm Center
    • SANS Technology Institute
    • Security Awareness Training
  • Search
  • Log In
  • Join
    • Account Dashboard
    • Log Out
  1. Home >
  2. Blog >
  3. Top Three Behaviors for Creating a Cybersecure Remote Workforce
370x370_Lance-Spitzner.jpg
Lance Spitzner

Top Three Behaviors for Creating a Cybersecure Remote Workforce

With the outbreak of the Coronavirus, a key challenge many organizations are facing is enabling their workforce to work from home. For many...

March 11, 2020

With the outbreak of the Coronavirus, a key challenge many organizations are facing is enabling their workforce to work from home. For many organizations, this is something new, often lacking the processes, policies and technologies that enable people to do so safely and securely. In addition, when people work from home they lack many of the typical security controls you find in organizations, exposing them to far greater risk.

Below we identify the top three behaviors we feel organizations should focus on to quickly secure any new employees that are working from home. And please don’t overlook the list of expert-driven resources we've included at the end to help reinforce remote cybersecure best practices. The simpler we make security, the more likely people will implement the measures they need. As such, our goal here is not perfect security — but the fewest behaviors that will have the greatest impact.

Feel free to modify the below recommendations as you see fit, as every organization’s needs, requirements and tolerance for risk is different. If nothing else, think of this as a starting point.

social engineering

1. Social Engineering
One of the greatest risks remote workers will face, especially in this time of both dramatic change and an environment of urgency, is social-engineering attacks. Social engineering is a psychological attack in which attackers trick or fool their victims into making a mistake, which is easier during a time of change and confusion. These attacks can take on many forms besides email-based phishing attacks, including phone calls, text messaging and social media. The key is to teach people what social engineering is, the most common indicators of a social-engineering attack, and what to do when they spot one.

strong passwords

2. Strong Passwords
As identified in the annual Verizon DBIR, weak passwords continue to be one of the primary drivers for breaches on a global scale. A key finding is strong passwords are one of the most effective defenses. We want to re-emphasize what is needed for strong password use. This includes:

  • Passphrases (password complexity is dead)
  • Unique passwords
  • Password managers
  • MFA (multi-factor authentication), often called two-factor authentication or two-step verification

updated systems

3. Updated Systems
The third step that will go a long way to protect remote workers is ensuring any technology they are using is running the latest version of the operating system and applications. For personal devices this may require enabling automatic updating.

In addition to communicating these topics, we recommend that you implement some type of technology to answer questions, preferably in real time. This can include a dedicated email alias, Skype or a Slack chat channel, or some type of online forum.

Another recommendation is to host a security webcast that you repeat several times a week so people can pick a time that works best for them and attend the event live, perhaps even ask questions. The goal is that you want to make the security team as approachable as possible and help people with their questions.

This is a fantastic opportunity to engage your workforce and put a friendly face on security. Try to take advantage of the opportunity.

To help you teach and reinforce the three key behaviors for creating a cybersecure remote workforce, below are links to the OUCH! Security Awareness Newsletters that address these topics. OUCH! is a free, security awareness newsletter published every month in over 20 languages and written by a subject matter expert guest editor.

OVERVIEW

Four Steps to Staying Secure
Creating a Cybersecure Home

SOCIAL ENGINEERING

Social Engineering
Messaging / Smishing
Personalized Scams
CEO Fraud
Phone Call Attacks / Scams
Stop That Phish
Scamming You Through Social Media

PASSWORDS

Making Passwords Simple
Lock Down Your Login (2FA)

ADDITIONAL

Yes, You Are a Target
Smart Home Devices
Virtual Private Networks

Share:
TwitterLinkedInFacebook
Copy url Url was copied to clipboard
Subscribe to SANS Newsletters
Receive curated news, vulnerabilities, & security awareness tips
United States
Canada
United Kingdom
Spain
Belgium
Denmark
Norway
Netherlands
Australia
India
Japan
Singapore
Afghanistan
Aland Islands
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba
Bosnia And Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska)
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard And McDonald Islands
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Kiribati
Korea, Republic Of
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia, Federated States Of
Moldova, Republic Of
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Northern Mariana Islands
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Bartholemy
Saint Kitts And Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome And Principe
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Sint Maarten
Slovakia (Slovak Republic)
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
St. Helena
St. Pierre And Miquelon
Suriname
Svalbard And Jan Mayen Islands
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad And Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks And Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States Minor Outlying Islands
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands (British)
Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Wallis And Futuna Islands
Western Sahara
Yemen
Yugoslavia
Zambia
Zimbabwe

Tags:
  • Security Awareness

Related Content

Blog
SSA_Blog_Thumbnails_&_Social_Posts_May_22_PasswordDay_thumbnail.jpg
Security Awareness, Security Management, Legal, and Audit
May 5, 2022
World Password Day – Readying Your Workforce for MFA
Today is the perfect opportunity to talk about strong passwords.
370x370_Lance-Spitzner.jpg
Lance Spitzner
read more
Blog
SSA_Blog_Thumbnails_&_Social_Posts_May_22_SSASummit_Thumbnail.jpg
Security Awareness, Security Management, Legal, and Audit
May 3, 2022
6 Reasons SANS 2022 Security Awareness Summit is a Must-Attend
The agenda for the SANS 2022 Security Awareness Summit, Aug. 3-4, is live and the event is epic!
370x370_Lance-Spitzner.jpg
Lance Spitzner
read more
Blog
SSAP_badge_image.png
Security Awareness
April 27, 2022
4 Tips to Successfully Prepare for the SSAP Exam
The SANS Security Awareness Professional (SSAP) is the world’s leading industry-recognized credential that signifies that the holder has the knowledge
370x370_Lance-Spitzner.jpg
Lance Spitzner
read more
  • Register to Learn
  • Courses
  • Certifications
  • Degree Programs
  • Cyber Ranges
  • Job Tools
  • Security Policy Project
  • Posters & Cheat Sheets
  • White Papers
  • Focus Areas
  • Cyber Defense
  • Cloud Security
  • Cyber Security Leadership
  • Digital Forensics
  • Industrial Control Systems
  • Offensive Operations
Subscribe to SANS Newsletters
Receive curated news, vulnerabilities, & security awareness tips
United States
Canada
United Kingdom
Spain
Belgium
Denmark
Norway
Netherlands
Australia
India
Japan
Singapore
Afghanistan
Aland Islands
Albania
Algeria
American Samoa
Andorra
Angola
Anguilla
Antarctica
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba
Bosnia And Herzegovina
Botswana
Bouvet Island
Brazil
British Indian Ocean Territory
Brunei Darussalam
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Christmas Island
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Colombia
Comoros
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia (Local Name: Hrvatska)
Curacao
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
East Timor
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French Southern Territories
Gabon
Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guatemala
Guernsey
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Heard And McDonald Islands
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Jersey
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Kiribati
Korea, Republic Of
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lao People's Democratic Republic
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia, Federated States Of
Moldova, Republic Of
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Niue
Norfolk Island
Northern Mariana Islands
Oman
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Reunion
Romania
Russian Federation
Rwanda
Saint Bartholemy
Saint Kitts And Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Vincent And The Grenadines
Samoa
San Marino
Sao Tome And Principe
Senegal
Serbia
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Sint Maarten
Slovakia (Slovak Republic)
Slovenia
Solomon Islands
South Africa
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
St. Helena
St. Pierre And Miquelon
Suriname
Svalbard And Jan Mayen Islands
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tokelau
Tonga
Trinidad And Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks And Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States Minor Outlying Islands
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands (British)
Virgin Islands (U.S.)
Wallis And Futuna Islands
Western Sahara
Yemen
Yugoslavia
Zambia
Zimbabwe
  • © 2022 SANS™ Institute
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn