Telecommuting not Secure, Report Says

A new report suggests that companies have neglected to secure telecommuting’s particular risks. Does that mean it’s not a good option for business continuity too?

In an article in the most recent issue of Security Management magazine, John Wagley says the study by Ernst & Young found that when security measures do exist, they were created in response to other needs, such as business travel or off-site working.

Telecommuting is different, and it’s frequently filled with security holes. “Rather than a real solution, the situation is more like Swiss cheese,” Sagi Leizerov, an Ernst & Young senior manager who co-authored the report, told Wagley.

“Employees working at home can leave documents around, work on personal computers that are shared with family members, and expose machines to risky software programs, such as peer-to-peer file sharing,” Wagley says.

What should companies do to secure telecommuting? Wagley suggests that a first step could be to examine the unique risks that arise from telecommuting and look at whether existing controls address those risks. Then, he suggests implementing a policy along with procedural or technical controls.

To read the full article, click here: http://www.securitymanagement.com/article/report-targets-telecommuting-004823