What are the cyber security threats for Remote Employees in Canada?

Covid-19 pandemic forced everyone to get used to a new way of working. Yes, we are referring to remote working. 

Although this type of working wasn’t popular before, it did become popular as most businesses and organizations in Canada quickly adopted it when working from home was nothing but a life threat.

Only afterward, Canadian businesses realize that remote working is much more productive and effective than in-house working. 

However, remote working has also created several challenges related to security while trying to manage functionality. 

As Canadian employees started working from their homes while maintaining the same quality as before, they also required access to the same files and data which were accessible at the office. 

In addition to providing employees with all the required information and data; businesses, companies, and organizations also have to protect their systems, information, and complete network for various vulnerabilities that remote employees unintentionally invite. 

Many organizations use various online security tools such as virtual private networks to protect their employees and valuable data and assets. 

Unfortunately, not every virtual private network would be fit for this job. Only top VPN service providers for Canada possess the capability to offer the ultimate security and privacy from cybersecurity threats in Canada. 

Since knowing is half the battle, we decided to discuss the types of cybersecurity threats remote employees in Canada are most vulnerable to. With that, we will also look at how you can protect your devices and data against them.

So without further ado, let’s begin. 

Commonly Faced Cybersecurity Threats for Remote Employees in Canada

Here are some common cybersecurity threats that remote employees in Canada should be aware of. 

Physical Access 

Remote employees must never leave their work devices unattended. If they leave their devices unattended, someone can use them, tamper with them, or even steal sensitive information. 

If due for any reason, the device has to be left unattended for a while. It is recommended to be protected with a password or two-factor authentication security protocol. 

Phishing

This cybersecurity threat is carried out by a hacker, cybercriminal, or anyone that harbors ill intent towards you. 

They can reach out to you via email, text, or even call and pose as a legitimate individual from a reputable organization or business. 

Their ulterior motive would be to extract sensitive information for you. The information can be anything from your online account passwords to your social security number and even your credit card information. 

Don’t think for a second that it is very difficult for a hacker to gather sufficient information about you to initiate a phishing attack. A little bit of online research about you and your organization can prepare them to execute their plan against you.  

Ransomware

In this cybersecurity threat, the perpetrator injects malware into your device and then hijacks your device, steals your sensitive information, or sometimes does both. 

Against the release of the device and the sensitive information, the attacker demands a ransom. 

Wireless Hijacking

The culprit creates a completely new Wi-Fi network with the same name and properties as the legitimate Wi-Fi connection in this cybersecurity threat. (For example, Wi-Fi network of public places). 

With now being the creator of this new Wi-Fi network, hackers can access and steal valuable data from connected devices. 

Traffic Manipulation

Suppose some kind of malicious code infects the remote employee’s mobile device. In that case, a cybercriminal can easily gain access to the device, input their data, and steal the business information and data. 

Cybersecurity Tools for Remote Employees in Canada

All of these are some of the common cyber threats for remote employees in Canada. Now let’s look at some cybersecurity tools to help protect against those threats. 

Firewall

Think about a firewall as a really strong and impenetrable wall between two different networks. 

A firewall can control the amount and type of internet traffic passing between the two networks. Now, this firewall will monitor the traffic originating from your device and the one coming into your network. 

It will filter anything that looks suspicious or could harm your device and network overall. 

Antivirus 

While an antivirus performs many different tasks to keep your device safe and secure, one of the major purposes of this software is to scan your device for any unwanted and unauthorized element or malware. 

It is imperative that you use one of the best antivirus software from the market and don’t forget to update the software for the latest security updates and patches regularly. 

Application white-listing

This special technique allows businesses to control which application can or can’t run on the employee device. 

By implementing this technique, companies can define which applications will work on the device, preventing the employee from downloading unauthorized software on corporate devices. 

Final Thoughts

So there you have it. Those were some of the cybersecurity threats that remote employees in Canada should be aware of. 

Now, you also know a few tricks to get ahead of such threats in time and protect yourself and your business-sensitive information from getting into the wrong hands.