5 security risks facing your business in the ‘work from anywhere’ era

This has been a much-discussed topic in the business world of late. As more and more people have begun working remotely, IT is having a harder time keeping their users secure. One specific reason for this is the rise of email. Because so many people send and receive so many emails as they go about communicating with people remotely, they’re more vulnerable to phishing attacks than ever before. These attacks can be transmitted to any number of users, over any number of networks, through any number of devices. There are just too many potential weak points for IT to defend all of them.

This is the climate we’re all trying to navigate. Users right now are more vulnerable than they’ve ever been, and IT leaders find themselves faced with serious threats around every corner.

Let’s take a look at five key risks in particular they’re watching for:

• BIOS-level attacks. When the basic input/output system (BIOS) of your network is compromised, a hidden attacker is able to gain credentialed access to the network and some (if not all) of the data on it. Companies everywhere are dealing with such attacks.
• Advanced persistent threats. Advanced persistent threats are attackers that don’t impact your system immediately; instead they linger, gather behavioral information about your network and its users, then attack and siphon off your data later.
• Malware. Especially now, with so many employees relying on email, it’s easy for a user to fall for a scam email with a malicious file attached. Not every “.DOC” or “.PDF” in your inbox is a legitimate work file – and the illegitimate ones can do serious damage.
• Cloud-based attacks. As cloud-based apps for collaboration become a part of people’s daily routines, they also become key attack vectors for cybercriminals. Data breach agents no longer have to infiltrate your network or your inbox to hurt your business – they can simply get at you through the cloud.
• Compliance failures. If a malicious attacker – or even just simple human error – does result in the loss of some of your organization’s data, you might have to worry about issues with people’s personally identifiable information (PII). If anyone’s PII is compromised, you may end up facing penalties relating to regulatory compliance.

All in all, it’s a cold world out there, with a lot of potential threats to your business lurking. But: In Dell Technologies and Zones, you have two business partners who can help guide you through it. We can provide co-delivery of all the crucial hardware your users need to work remotely in an effective manner. And because of all the built-in security that Dell has to offer, your users will be secure at every endpoint.

We’ve entered the era of “work from anywhere” – and as your business presses forward into this new normal, you want to do it in a way that’s smart and safe. With Dell Technologies and Zones by your side, you can do that. Keep browsing our website, and you can dive a little deeper into the possibilities.

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