Cybersecurity for remote working: What you really need to know

Let’s be honest - remote working isn’t going anywhere. Whether your team’s fully remote, hybrid, or just logging in from home on the odd Friday, chances are your business relies on some kind of flexible setup these days. And while that’s brilliant for productivity, wellbeing, and work-life balance, it also opens the door to a few… let’s call them tech gremlins. Mainly in the form of cybersecurity risks.

Now, we don’t want to scare you - but we do want to keep it real. If your team is working from coffee shops, home offices, or even the kitchen table, you need to have your cyber house in order. Because the truth is, cybercriminals love remote workers. They see opportunity in every unsecured Wi-Fi network, dodgy email, or outdated laptop.

So how do you keep your business safe without making your team jump through 50 hoops just to check their emails? That’s what we're going to walk you through today. No jargon, no technical terms - just what actually matters when it comes to remote working security.

So, what’s the big risk?

When everyone worked from the same office, your IT setup was pretty straightforward. You had a secure network, managed devices, firewalls - the lot. But when your team is dotted around the country (or further afield), that control gets a little fuzzy.

Here’s what we see most often:

• People using the same weak passwords across multiple platforms (don’t worry, we’ve all done it!)

• Logging onto work accounts from personal laptops or tablets that haven’t been updated since 2020

• Clicking on dodgy-looking links because the email kind of looked legit

• Using free Wi-Fi in coffee shops or airports with zero protection

• Downloading tools or apps to “make life easier” without checking if they’re actually safe

None of these things are done maliciously, of course. But they do open the door to data breaches, ransomware, and all sorts of nasty stuff that can grind a business to a halt.

Spotting Red Flags Before It’s Too Late

Let’s face it - some phishing emails are very convincing. I’ve seen emails that look like they’re from Microsoft, HMRC, even team members. And it only takes one click to cause a serious headache.

That’s why it’s so important to train your team to spot the red flags. Things like:

• Odd-looking email addresses (e.g. payp4l.co instead of paypal.com)

• “Urgent” language that pressures you into acting fast

• Strange formatting or typos

• Unexpected attachments or links

Even the most switched-on employee can be caught off guard. That’s where tools like Sophos Phish Threat come in. We use this ourselves and recommend it to our clients. It’s a brilliant tool that sends simulated phishing emails to your team to test their reactions - and then trains them based on the results.

Password Managers: Your New Best Friend

If you’re still storing your passwords in a spreadsheet - or worse, using the same one across all your accounts - it’s time to upgrade.

A password manager is basically a secure vault that stores all your logins, generates strong passwords, and auto-fills them when you need them. You only need to remember one master password, and the manager takes care of the rest.

It saves time, prevents reuse (which hackers love), and makes it way easier to stay secure without having to write things down or rely on memory. Win-win.

We always recommend password managers as a quick win for remote teams. They boost security and remove a lot of the human error from the equation.

Creating a Cyber-Savvy Culture (Yes, Even Remotely)

The biggest myth in cybersecurity? That it’s just an IT problem.

It’s not. It’s a people problem, which means the solution has to be cultural, not just technical.

Even with all the firewalls, VPNs, and software in the world, if someone clicks the wrong link or downloads a dodgy attachment, you’re in trouble.

Here’s what works:

Talk about it - often

Cybersecurity shouldn’t be some mysterious “tech thing” that happens in the background. Bring it up in team meetings. Share news stories about recent attacks. Make it part of your normal rhythm.

Make training simple and ongoing

We offer ongoing cybersecurity training with Sophos Phish Threat that’s designed to be clear, relatable, and easy to follow (no tech jargon here!).

Celebrate awareness

Spot a team member doing the right thing? Like reporting a suspicious email or flagging an out-of-date system? Shout them out. Make it cool to care about security.

Involve leadership

Cyber awareness starts at the top. If your leadership team treats it seriously, the rest of the business will too.

Remote and hybrid work is here to stay, which means cybersecurity for remote teams needs to be more than a checklist - it has to be part of your culture.

Whether it’s teaching your team to spot the dodgy emails, setting them up with proper tools like password managers and VPNs, or bringing in smart tech like Sophos Phish Threat, the key is to stay proactive. You don’t have to go it alone, either- we’re here to help you build the secure, flexible working environment your business deserves.

👉 Let’s chat 020 4599 1365