Could Covid-19 bring your business to a halt?

Ready or not, UK businesses are about to face a sudden remote-working test run. Since Covid-19 first took root in Wuhan China early this year, businesses across the globe have been forced to allow widespread remote working to minimise the risk of contagion. However, many IT teams and business owners are questioning whether their infrastructure has the capacity to support large numbers of home workers.

Given the vast technological advancements of the digital age, all businesses both large and small should have the ability to work at home or in the office (if their job role allows). Although, the Covid-19 crisis is set to have a substantial impact on businesses around the world, it could also be the catalyst for many to finally revaluate their outdated remote working policies. After all, to remain resilient throughout a crisis like this, you must ensure your business is able to ‘keep calm and carry on’.

What can UK businesses expect in the upcoming months?

• Lack of security-  Businesses with outdated security infrastructure’s simply cannot accommodate remote working. This is largely due to the security implications of having limited network visibility. If they are unable to see or control devices/users connecting to the corporate network, the security of critical data is put at risk.
• Lack of employee trust- Unfortunately, many employers still lack trust, they believe that employees must be in the office from 9-5 to prove they are working productively. However, it is now widely agreed that a modern-day work life balance should involve flexible working. For many this not only improves productivity, it also means they’re not paying to commute, adding to their carbon footprint or having to buy daily lunch.
• Lack of VPN capacity- As security experts, we have seen that many businesses seeking support do not have the VPN hardware or licence capacity to support their entire workforce at home. It is important to check this so that you can make the necessary adjustments to support your network needs. Once you have this in place have a ‘work at home day’ to test the effectiveness of the VPN.
• BYOD- Personal laptops and mobiles do not usually have the same necessary security features that are required on corporate devices. When a user connects a personal device to your network, it could expose your business to unwarranted security threats.

How should businesses be preparing for the effect of Covid-19? Take advantage of exclusive Cisco Deals

Achieving remote working agility involves multiple controls and processes which are outlined below:

• Cisco Umbrella– Protects users from malicious Internet destinations whether they are on or off the network. Cisco Umbrella is cloud delivered which makes it easy to protect users everywhere in minutes. Cisco is currently allowing existing customers to exceed their user limit to support an increase in remote workers, and new customers can access a free license.
• Cisco Duo 2FA– Allows businesses to verify users’ identities and establish device trust before granting access to corporate applications and critical data. This zero-trust security model helps to decrease the attack surface and reduce the risk of suffering a breach. During this time Cisco are allowing existing customers to increase their user limit to support an increase in remote workers, and new customers can also access a free license.
• Cisco AnyConnect VPN- This Secure Mobility Client empowers employees to work from anywhere on company laptops or BYOD. It also allows your IT teams to gain in depth visibility and control so they can identify who is accessing the corporate network. Cisco are allowing existing AnyConnect customers to exceed their user limit to support an increase in remote workers, and new customers can access a free license.
• Communication is key- When it comes to remote working, ‘teamwork makes the dream work’. To avoid employees feeling isolated and promote business success, departments and teammates should be in regular communication. This can be achieved through applications such as Cisco WebEx or Microsoft Teams instant messaging. In China, up to 22 times as many people are using Cisco’s Webex since the Coronavirus appeared. Cisco Webex has announced that they have expanded the capabilities of their free offering in a bid to support the global business landscape during this crisis.