Data security challenges and solutions in the new age of working

More flexible approaches to work bring numerous benefits, but they also bring with them new cybersecurity threats.

The ability to carry personal computers and compact printing devices and MFPs between home offices and shared workspaces has added a new dimension to our professional lives and given way to an era of work with unprecedented mobility.

While this shift has afforded staff greater flexibility, it has also dramatically increased the volume and complexity of security threats facing today’s organisations. Business leaders who deem yesterday’s tools and infrastructure to be sufficient in the face of this new wave of ferocious cyberthreats are leaving themselves exposed to an unpleasant and, ultimately, costly surprise.

Threats to business data

During the early stages of the sudden shift to remote working, there was one principal concern facing all CEOs: survival. The show had to be kept on the road by hook or by crook. Security was an afterthought for many and gaps and weak areas were quickly exposed.

Gartner cite one practical example that will be familiar to many professionals in recenttimes: “Four professionals share a house, all of whom work for different companies yetshare the same spaces and internet connections.”

Such a scenario creates several potential security risks:

• Privacy: Confidential documents left lying around in shared living spaces may be exposed to manipulationby external parties.
• Connectivity: Multiple external devices and networks connected to one shared internet connection increasesrisk of security breaches.
• Accessibility: Homes with shared printing devices run the risk of sensitive information being misplaced and/or accidentally falling into the wrong hands.

Furthermore, with teams spread across offices and vast networks of remote working locations, the dependence on collaboration tools has increased dramatically. Staff across all sectors now share huge volumes of highly sensitive data via Cloud-based platforms in an instant with colleagues in other cities and, in some cases, other countries. While it can be all too easy to take these platforms for granted, it is preciselythis complacency that hackers prey upon.

The volume of data will continue to soar exponentially and the need for robust and scalable data infrastructure and tools, therefore, has never been greater.

Keeping information safe

Data security is like building a house: if you don’t have strong foundations, trouble awaits down the tracks. The area of document solutions is no different. Organisations that manage to strike the right balance between physical and digital documents – how they are processed, shared, and stored – will be well equipped to add new value to their workflows while reducing risk. With Kyocera, leaders in customer-centric innovation, that task becomes that bit easier.

Kyocera has come to the fore during this period of profound change, the blend of award-winning printing devices and cutting-edge software solutions helping to consolidate its position as a total document solutions provider

The ECOSYS range of compact A4 printing devices deliver outstanding reliability and quality for professionals in smaller workgroups or those who operate between workspaces. These devices are complemented by software solutions such as Kyocera Mobile Print which enable employees to move and work fluidly between the office and other work locations with maximum data protection.

The idea of the traditional 9-to-5 office has been challenged greatly in recent times and everything points to a general shift towards a model based on mobility, with staff moving between work locations with greater frequency and fluidity. The success of this model will depend heavily on tools which facilitate such movement, allowing an employee to begin a task at home and finish it in the office or vice versa with zero fuss.

Security is not a standalone concept. It is as fundamental a part of all business and is as important as the actual product or service you are selling. Gartner argue that “clearpolicies around security and confidentiality become even more important.” Without thatsolid foundation, sustainable growth is next to near impossible.

The digital age will reward organisations who are proactive when it comes to investing in new technologies and training their staff. The business landscape continues tochange at a breath-taking pace – this who stand still are liable to be left behind.