MSPs Prepare for Mass Remote Work Days Because of Coronavirus
Coronavirus is affecting business in several ways. As it continues to spread, companies have requested or even insisted that employees who are able to work from home do so. Did you prepare your clients’ cybersecurity for such a scenario?
The Current Situation
By now, everybody who has a phone, computer, or television is aware of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Not only does it continue to spread, it continues to affect businesses in new ways.
Social media mega-brand, Twitter, may have started the latest trend. They told their employees to work from home. Google and Salesforce canceled all international employee travel while Facebook canceled a major event.
Schools could also affect the business economy. The Washington Post reported that 60 school district superintendents asked the American Association of School Administrators whether to close their schools or not. These superintendents were told that when a student, teacher, or parent contracts the virus, drop everything and close the school.
Get that? If one person associated with a school has Coronavirus, the entire student body will be home for the next couple of weeks. That means at least one parent will be home with them. These parents will not want to miss a paycheck, so it is likely they will spend as much time as possible working from home.
Google is preparing for this. The company said it will offer its Hangouts Meet video conferencing free to all G Suite customers, including G Suite for Education customers. Meetings will commence as usual…via connecting to the internet from home.
Work From Home Considerations
As an MSP who is aware of the dangers of using unsecured networks, now might be the time to remind clients of the importance of using a secured network at home. (Learn how to tell the difference between unsecured and secured WiFi.)
Also check that their antivirus, malware, and ransomware software are updated.
If employees are working from home, there is the possibility they will “brave” the outdoors for a Starbuck’s coffee or to buy dinner. If they use public WiFi without using a VPN, they put themselves and their employer at risk.
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With Privatise’s VPN, you can see a log of who used the VPN and when. This is useful information when you want to make sure your clients’ employees are being as safe as possible.
5 Steps MSPs Can Take Now
If the Coronavirus situation continues, and by all measures it seems to be continuing, cybersecurity precautions need to be implemented. Not only that, MSPs need to be prepared for their own employees working from home to ensure no disruption of services.
Prepare your staff and address the necessary precautions. Here are five steps MSPs can take now to prevent avoidable, time-consuming cybersecurity problems resulting from your clients working from home.
- Check that clients’ home networks are secured.
- Make sure all antivirus, malware, and ransomware software are updated.
- Remind your clients to avoid using unsecured public WiFi without a trusted VPN.
- Remind your clients to change passwords frequently and to use a password manager
- Wash your hands frequently. �
With a little preparation, you can help your clients protect themselves while they protect their employees from Coronavirus.
Contact us to learn more.
