How Remote Work Has Changed Cybersecurity Needs for BusinessesHow Remote Work Has Changed Cybersecurity Needs for Businesses

The shift to remote work has been one of the most significant changes in the modern workplace in the past four years. While it offers undeniable flexibility and productivity benefits, it has also introduced a host of cybersecurity challenges for businesses. As employees work from home, coffee shops, or even public libraries, organisations must adapt their cybersecurity strategies to mitigate risks.

For partners, this offers the opportunity not just for additional growth in their cybersecurity businesses, but also the chance to add real value to their customers and their employees. Today we explore how remote work has reshaped cybersecurity needs, provides practical tips for securing remote teams, and highlights the importance of tailored training for staff.

Remote Work and Increased Cyber Vulnerabilities

The rise of remote work has expanded the attack surface for cybercriminals. No longer confined to the secure perimeters of office networks, employees now access corporate systems and data from personal devices, home Wi-Fi networks and public hotspots. This decentralisation has exposed businesses and their employees to several key vulnerabilities:

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Securing Remote Teams

To protect against these vulnerabilities, businesses must adopt a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity for remote teams.

1. Move from VPNs to zero trust. When many organisations rapidly moved to enable remote working in 2020, VPNs were an essential tool enabling employees to work from home to access resources on the corporate network. However, this approach has multiple challenges — VPNs provide too much access with control, have frequently been found to contain vulnerabilities, and aren’t suited where applications and resources are spread across on premise and cloud networks.

Here’s a real world example: Moving to a ZTNA (zero trust network access) framework allows organisations to only provide access to what’s needed, on a least-privilege basis, and is increasingly accessible for smaller businesses.

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2. Enforce strong password policies. Encourage customer employees to use unique passwords for work accounts and adopt a password manager to securely store them. Policies should support more complex, unique passwords and ban reused credentials.

Here’s a real world example: A Birmingham (England)-based marketing agency suffered a breach after a reused password was compromised in a third-party leak. Implementing a company-wide strong password policy helped prevent future incidents.

3. Enable multifactor authentication (MFA). MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring employees to verify their identity using a second factor, such as a smartphone app or hardware token. It is one of the most effective defences against account compromise.

Here’s a real world example: A legal firm in Manchester implemented MFA across all cloud services, including Microsoft 365, after experiencing a phishing attack. The move eliminated further unauthorised access attempts.

Protecting Personal Devices

Personal devices used for work purposes (BYOD, or bring your own device) pose a unique challenge, but have become increasingly popular as smartphone use become ubiquitous, and more corporate applications are in the cloud and so don’t require VPNs or company devices to access them. While businesses cannot always control these devices, they can implement policies and tools to reduce risks.

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Here’s a real world example: A freelance graphic designer in Edinburgh inadvertently exposed a client’s data by working on a shared family computer. Implementing a "work-only" device policy helped prevent similar risks.

Educating Employees on Cyber Risks at Home and Public Locations

Remote employees often underestimate the risks associated with working outside the office. Training programs must focus on raising awareness and equipping staff to make safer decisions.

1. Understanding home network security. Employees should change default router passwords to something complex, and ensure they update router firmware regularly.

Here’s a real world example: The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) offers guides for securing home networks, which businesses can share with employees.

2. Avoiding public Wi-Fi pitfalls. Employees must be trained to avoid public Wi-Fi, or to use a VPN if connecting is unavoidable. They should also disable automatic Wi-Fi connections on their devices.

Here’s a real world example: A consultant working for a London-based management firm lost sensitive client data when using public Wi-Fi at a train station. The firm now mandates VPN use and educates employees on public network risks.

3. Spotting phishing attempts. Regular training on identifying phishing emails can reduce the likelihood of successful attacks. Employees should be taught to:

Here’s a real world example: A small retailer in Cardiff conducted monthly phishing simulations to train staff. Over six months, the click-through rate on simulated phishing emails dropped from 25% to just 3%.

Tailored Training for Remote Staff

Traditional office-based cybersecurity training often falls short for remote teams. Businesses must offer programs that address the unique risks of remote work.

1. Scenario-based learning. Use real-world scenarios to teach employees how to handle situations like phishing emails or unsecure Wi-Fi networks.

2. On-boarding security training. New hires should undergo training on remote work security protocols as part of their on-boarding process.

3. Regular refreshers. Remote employees should receive ongoing training, with updates reflecting new threats or policy changes.

Example: A software development firm in Glasgow (Scotland) introduced an e-learning module for remote workers that covered VPN usage, phishing awareness and device security. Completion rates improved after gamifying the training with rewards for high scores.

Final Thoughts

Remote work is here to stay, and so are the cybersecurity challenges it brings. 2020 saw huge changes, but many introduced to simple keep businesses running, so many will now need to be reviewed, For MSPs and VARs, there’s an opportunity to help drive the development of their customers’ cybersecurity strategy to one that’s more agile, zero-trust based, and less reliant on legacy processes and products. By adopting a proactive approach – implementing tools that support ZTNA, enforcing strong password policies, and educating employees – partners can help their customers protect themselves from cyber threats.

Businesses must also recognise the critical role of tailored training for remote teams. Equipping employees with the knowledge to secure their home offices and navigate public networks is not just an investment in security — it’s an investment in the company’s future.

The cost of inaction is high, but the rewards of a secure, adaptable workforce are even greater. Let’s help make remote work safer for everyone.