Data confidentiality and security when employees work from home
April 19th, 2020
Data protection working from home: An unprecedented event
The Coronavirus pandemic has had a severe impact on business operations around the world. This is forcing companies to shift from organised and secure office-based work to a sudden move to employees working from home.
We believe that the rapid move to remote working for many organisations has created a number of security and confidentiality issues which could cause significant problems in the future.
Data Security & Data Privacy
Data Protection regulations cover the security and the privacy of all personal data. Therefore, it is important that employers take reasonable steps to maintain data security and privacy standards for remote workers.
Increased Cyber Security risks
Many businesses had to react quickly to help employees work from home. So they may not have had enough time to put in place information security standards to protect personal data and sensitive data being processed by remote workers.
Attacks are related to Coronavirus pandemic
Increased risks from phishing emails or malware attacks, are happening on a global scale.
These can lead to personal data leakage or even a data breach. Equally, employees’ use of own devices, without proper security measures in place, are highly likely to cause data security problems.
Accordingly, this creates challenges for employers around data security and confidentiality, especially where personal information and confidential business information is processed by employees in remote working situations.
Regulations still apply to remote workers
So, it is important for employers to remember that the general data protection regulations still apply, even for remote workers.
Employee assessment of their Home Office
In order to help, we have created a Remote Working Assessment. We advise employers ensure that their employees complete our Assessment and return it for review as soon as possible.
Step 1
This Assessment covers a whole range of areas from Data Security to Data Protection to Health and Safety requirements. By completing the Assessment, the employee has to think carefully about how they are protecting your business operations and personal data securely.
Step 2
Once employees have completed their Working from Home Assessment, this provides valuable information for businesses to identify any lapses in security measures. It also allows them to assess any gaps relating to Health and Safety Regulations.
Step 3
Review security measures
Unsurprisingly, the important next stage for employers, is to review the responses from the Assessments to ensure data security standards remain high even when employees work from home.
Employers should consider areas such as employees’ use of home wifi, new technology they may be using and if they use their own devices.
Data Protection when Working from Home: Why this matters
In order for employers to do their best in adhering to their legal responsibilities, these Assessments are an essential tool to achieve this.
Not only are the legal requirements relating to the general data protection regulations (GDPR) included in the Assessment, but by completing it, employees are attesting to their Home Working Practises.
Therefore employers can better understand whether employees have appropriate IT security and data handling procedures in place. For employees who are processing personal data, sensitive data and any other confidential data while working from home, good working practises are mandatory.
Understand what you need to do and how
Knowing that you need to improve security measures is easy to identify. What is harder to solve is how this will be achieved.
The good news is there are many solutions on the market. The not so good news is that it can be time consuming and overwhelming to find the right solution for your business.
Get in touch
At Data Protection 4 Business we work with technology solution providers who can quickly assess the best solutions for your needs.
Whether this is Cyber Security or Network Security or enhanced Security for existing systems. We have the skills and resources to help.
If you would like to find out more, contact us to see how we can help. Or fill out our online form below!
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