The coronavirus outbreak has put public and private institutions on high alert, forcing businesses to adopt telework in a bid to maintain 'business as usual' and ensure the health of staff .
According to Panda Security, while working remotely has become the norm, if the right tools are not available, it can pose a serious security risk and could mean a loss of control for the business.
“Improvisation and a lack of experience when implementing and controlling these measures can imply a series of risks for the system such as weak firewall configurations, use of unprotected computers and laptops (company or personal), uncontrolled Internet connections through home or shared Wi-Fi connections, accessing insecure Web sites and many more,” the company says in a recently issued white paper about its Panda Fusion / Panda Fusion 360 software.
These risks lead to greater exposure to vulnerabilities and threats in systems, meaning that protecting and monitoring all workstations, servers and devices that handle sensitive information and connect to systems both inside and outside the corporate network, is critical.
“In order to be able to carry out this process securely, it is important to implement the measures and technologies needed to start working from home without increasing the risks to your company’s security and the management of its IT resources,” says Panda.
The security giant advises that monitoring and managing computers and devices is now more important than ever, as is the ability to launch scripts and distribute software remotely.
“This way, IT departments can manage all their users’ devices from a single platform, responding quickly and efficiently to any problems.”
Seven measure to implement
In the white paper, Panda Security recommends the following measures a company should implement to ensure proper management and use of its systems:
1. Configure VPNs remotely for secure access.
2. Centrally deploy the software essential for remote work, such as MS Office 365, file-sharing tools, etc.
3. Deploy critical security updates on computers, laptops and servers to patch system vulnerabilities.
4. Remote monitoring and support: the ability to resolve incidents without having to travel or to deploy software on computers for employees to be able to carry on as normal.
5. Automate the computer maintenance and management tasks to save time, reduce costs and increase efficiency.
6. Have a ticketing system to reduce response times and allow knowledge sharing among technicians, optimising the IT department’s operations.
7. Centralise management and control of the entire infrastructure: hardware and software inventory, system change logs, license control and detailed reports.
Panda Fusion
Advanced security and management solutions helps to simplify the management of all computers and devices, both inside and outside the corporate network. The recently debuted Panda Fusion and Panda Fusion 360 claim to help businesses maintain the highest levels of protection, enabling them to operate as normal with a remote workforce.
Included in the solutions is Panda Systems Management, a management, support and monitoring tool for any kind of device. It is a set of technologies grouped into a simple platform, tailored for the purpose of remotely controlling and managing servers, workstations, and other network devices, the company says.
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