Businesses the world over rely on digital technologies to expand and manage their business. Information and Data are the critical foundation of any digital technologies. The management of Information across the stakeholders is becoming increasingly challenging due to the fact that more and more people are choosing to work from home either part time or full time.
Today’s varied workforce presents a huge challenge for businesses dealing with the FTE (Full Time Employee), Gig worker (Free Lancer) and the WFH (Work from Home) employee. There is compelling need to have everyone in the working community aware of the importance of Information security and to provide guidance from the “People”, “Emotional”, “Process” and Technology” (PEPT) aspects.
The CSIRW aims to cover the PEPT aspects of Information security.
Work from Home (WFH) has become the utmost priority for corporations to manage the challenges posed by COVID -19. Yet a decade ago, most employers would have balked at the idea of employees regularly working from home.
Remote work was very rare a decade ago. Working from home was usually only available as a special arrangement to accommodate families in specific cases. However, teleconferencing and telework technology have advanced to the point where some businesses thrive with completely remote teams. In fact, it’s not uncommon for businesses to allow their employees to work from home once or twice a week.
A recent Airtasker survey in the U.S. indicates that remote workers are actually more productive than their office-based counterparts. The study found the following:
- Remote employees work an additional 1.4 more days per month than in-office employees, which is nearly 17 additional workdays a year.
- Remote employees take longer breaks on average than office employees (22 minutes versus 18 minutes, respectively), but they work an additional 10 minutes a day.
- Office workers are unproductive for an average 37 minutes a day, not including lunch or breaks, whereas remote employees are unproductive for only 27 minutes.
- 15% of remote workers said their boss distracted them from work, which is less than the 22% of office-based employees who said the same thing.
While these statistics may encourage both employees and employers to implement a work-from-home program, remote employees also reported higher levels of stress and more difficulty finding work-life balance than office-based workers. However, according to the American Psychological Association, remote work can increase employee satisfaction when implemented correctly.
Ultimately, working remotely is effective, but it has to be put into practice correctly, and it may not be the best situation for every employee or every business.
HOW REMOTE WORK HAS EVOLVED
There was a time when remote work as we know it wasn’t even a possibility, because the technology didn’t exist. Even full-time “remote” positions were different from what they are today.
Now, technology affords us the ability to get the same job done, no matter where in the world we are. [It has] enabled us to be in contact with co-workers or clients at any time.”
Because of these advances in communication technology and internet access, teleworking has become an accepted practice in many offices, both in the U.S. and globally. This type of work isn’t done entirely from home: Remote workers turn to coffee shops or coworking spaces, and some even travel the world while maintaining their career goals. The modern workforce is increasingly mobile, collaborative dynamic, and comprises multi-generations, all with differing communication preferences. These workers span multiple industries … all who represent unique challenges when it comes to staying connected while on the job.
Adopting a remote working policy can save companies money by removing the need for expensive office space (or satellite offices) while allowing workers the freedom to create their own schedules and work from wherever they please. It can be a win-win situation.
THE SECURITY CHALLENGE
Companies offering more remote work opportunities in response to the growing demand face security challenges unique to managing a mobile workforce and must respond accordingly to prevent unauthorized network access.
Allowing employees to access company data from offsite locations raises concerns about data encryption, the security of wireless connections, use of removable media and potential loss or theft of devices and data.
Remote workers lack an understanding of the severity of common security risks. Sixty-two percent of security incidents related to Wi-Fi connections happen when employees use networks in cafes or coffee shops, and 27% of workers in the U.S. admit to opening emails and attachments from unfamiliar senders. Devices are often compromised as a result, putting both personal and company data at risk. An increasing number of employers have adopted bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies in recent years. Mobile device management (MDM) apps present an alternative, allowing companies to create gated access to data and perform remote locks or wipes if devices are lost or stolen.
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS
We predict that remote work software, like mobile work tools and virtual reality conferencing, will become the preferred form of communication – even over face-to-face meetings. AI will also likely play a major role in managing remote staff.
These advancements might put companies more at ease. The transition to managing a remote workforce might be daunting, but with the right tech and hardworking employees, it can be a seamless process.
Furthermore, according to Global Workplace Analytics, 37% of remote employees would take a 10% pay cut to continue working from home. Because of this increasingly popular trend, some refuse to accept an onsite position, knowing they can find a more convenient and flexible gig elsewhere.
COMMITTING TO ONGOING EDUCATION
Users remain largely unaware of the potential security risks of their actions or how these actions could compromise their employers’ networks. A whitepaper by Cisco Systems revealed only about half of workers who use personal devices to access company data have proper security installed on their devices, and many more engage in risky behaviors, including:
• 46% download personal files onto work devices
• 29% use personal devices for work without worrying about safety
• 21% allow other people to use their work computers
Despite this, the majority of remote employees still believe they’re working securely. This signals a disconnect between understanding the importance of security and the ability to implement critical security measures.
As more businesses begin to allow their employees to connect to the company intranet from a home office, hotel or other remote location, it is important to maintain high levels of security, at all costs.
To bridge the gap, employers must establish training and education programs informing all employees of security best practices and provide the tools and support to put them into operation.
Certificate in Information Security For Remote Workers (CISRW)
i-Global Academy has partnered with the Infosec Foundation to address this need of corporates for sensitizing their employees and staff who work from home with a unique certificate programme that addresses this significant gap. Certifications are one way to do that ,as they help prove an individual’s credibility to the market and provide confidence to the employer . The “Certificate in Information Security – For Remote Workers(CISRW)” certification verifies the expertise of those who have completed the courses, and it gives assurance to end-user customers that they’re fully conversant and trained on the cyeber security challenges posed by a work from Home Scenario. Our certification program includes an assessment of knowledge, skills and competencies. The CISRW Certification Program is a Real Investment. But the payoff is well worth it.
Course Overview
Organizations should not simply expect a remote worker. to work from home the same way they work from your offices. It’s key to take some time out and train a remote worker. “Certificate in Information Security – For Remote Workers can help both security and productivity as it is designed to train properly and provide your employees with guidance to manage key information security and data privacy challenges of working from home. It also tells them on key software that can keep them (and your company) safe.
Working from home can come at a cost. For some people, working from home can put their mental health at risk, causing feelings of isolation and disconnection. The course has a dedicated module that addresses these challenges .
Course Objective
The learner will:
- gain familiarity with prevalent security challenges when working from home
- get end-user security awareness to address challenges of working safely
- understand key terms and concepts in cyber ,information security and data privacy
- how to address concerns of housing sensitive data off-premise
- incorporate approaches for incident analysis and response
The Connected Learning Environment
“The ‘e’ in e-learning initially meant electronic. Now it means everyone and everywhere. It means effective and engaged experiences. It means experiential.Now we’re talking about the connected learner.”
We provide a live, online training that combines premier skills development technologies with our expert instructors to deliver an engaging, interactive learning experience to you, regardless of location. Our connected learning environment is integrative, personalized, interconnected, and authentic.
Course Delivery
CSIRW would be delivered to learners in a connected mode of learning through the use of interactive learning, including elearning, live virtual learning, and remote testing to ensure validation of learning that enables a highly productive learning experience
Course Structure and Duration
The Total duration would be 8 hours of elearning with 8 sessions of live Learning, divided into 1 hour capsules.