First Column IT blog

More people are consistently working remotely now than before the pandemic, and while many businesses have been able to make it work, some continue to struggle. Workers that were moved out of the brick and mortar office to their homes at the beginning of the pandemic aren’t all looking forward to going back. If your business is considering a sustained remote or hybrid workplace strategy, having a team that can successfully collaborate from where they work is essential. This month we thought we would take a look at three problems businesses with remote workers could experience and the solutions for those challenges.

In today’s business environment, where ransomware strikes just as often as just about any other threat out there, you need to take as many precautions as possible so that your organization does not become another victim or statistic. All it takes is looking at reports from various security firms to understand just how important even the most basic of security measures—the password—is toward keeping businesses safe.

Hackers are a crafty bunch. They will use any and all means to infiltrate businesses, including some that are downright shameful. One of the most devastating ways that hackers make these attempts is through the use of phishing attacks, or attacks where they essentially trick users to click on links in emails or hand over confidential information.

When many businesses look to add to their teams, they typically have a series of qualifications they need each applicant to meet before they grant interviews. They make their selection, do their entrance training, and then expect that the new hire will settle in and be as productive as possible as soon as possible.

This past May, Ireland’s Health Service Executive—the organization responsible for providing healthcare and social services to the country’s residents—was successfully targeted by a major ransomware attack. Unfortunately, we are still talking about it now because the entire situation has forced us to acknowledge the aftereffects of such an event.