The Covid-19 outbreak creates opportunities for hackers. Remote working makes it harder to secure and contain your IT environments, protect confidential information and to respond to incidents.
Ensure that your computer systems and virtual environments are resistant to cyber threats and implement stronger security measures where appropriate. Additional layers of encryption or password protection are recommended.
Speak to your SaaS (software as a service) vendors about their business continuity plans to ensure there is minimal impact and disruption to your business and that they are ready to assist you with disaster recovery.
Refresh your staff training on cyber hygiene and looking after personal and confidential information (e.g. education on phishing attacks, cooperation assistance during a data breach, not leaving physical documents lying around, taking care when working on laptops in public spaces).
Prevent staff using personal, unsecured IT equipment at home and transferring data to unsecured platforms to access data remotely.
Check your Covid-19 response plan – does it cover cyber incident response and are you prepared (and adequately insured) for a data breach? Have you got lawyers and forensic experts you can call on in an incident?
Make sure you can communicate with all remote working employees if your systems have to be taken offline. Remote working staff must be able to carry out a password reset remotely if needed.
Protect your reputation and take measures to protect personal and confidential information – be careful about disclosing employee, customer or supplier health information otherwise you may be in breach of common law and contractual obligations.
About Priyanka Naidoo
Priyanka Naidoo is an Associate Designate at Norton Rose Fulbright.
