Home-based Workers Open Door to Risky Business, AVG (AU/NZ) Warns

In Australia, about one in four employees spends at least part of their working week on the job at home¹. While the rate has remained steady for six years², the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) and rapid uptake of powerful mobile computers, tablets and smartphones is set to drive growth in the number of teleworkers and non-office based workers.

“The Department of Broadband Communications and the Digital Economy has said the NBN will make it easier for people to work from home. On the flip-side, it will also make it easier for company networks to be hacked and valuable information to be lost or stolen if businesses do not put the right protection measures in place for newly mobile workers,” said Lloyd Borrett, Security Evangelist at AVG (AU/NZ).

Mobile devices and home-based connections can significantly boost employee productivity when used conscientiously. Teleworking can increase output, reduce sick days and lower costs, by allowing businesses to operate from smaller premises and help retain skilled staff by fostering trust and loyalty.

Home-based workers in a US survey³ said they would rather give up their favourite TV show (54%), an extra hour of sleep (48%), swear off a favourite food (40%) or take a pay cut (40%) than stop telecommuting.

Yet all the benefits of teleworking will be lost if fundamental security issues are not addressed. In the US survey, more than two-thirds of telecommuters said they didn’t receive IT security training in preparation for home office work. One in three never backed up their data.

“An external data connection will always represent additional security risk, especially if mission-critical business data is being transmitted,” Borrett said.

“The changing mobile worker landscape has created a constant need to define and measure the parameters within which these new worker types operate and implement back up and security measures that protect them.

“Mobile workers now exist in many forms. In addition to home-based employees, remote connections to company data may extend to field staff, partner companies sharing data links with the business, freelancers, consultants and contractors.

“These workers are very often mobile, semi-permanent, occasionally ‘hot desking’ or completely reliant upon an Internet connection to work with or for the company. They work on a range of potentially unsecured devices to connect in numerous ways including through email, Instant Messaging services and video conferencing services from Skype to Google+ to Facebook and Microsoft Live Messenger.

“This set-up poses a security risk and needs to form part of an IT security policy, no matter how basic, a company decides to follow,” Borrett said.

Traditional desktop and network security solutions need to be coupled with mobile protection offerings such as AVG Mobilation security software for Android smartphones and tablet computers. It’s built to ensure employees stay safe at home or on the move while connected back to the business, even using insecure Wi-Fi.

“Under a robust and up-to-date Internet security umbrella, companies of all sizes should be able to reap rewards by empowering their workforce with mobility and flexibility to work from home or other locations – while protecting their business information and networks,” Borrett concluded.

To help SMBs address the policy, technology and process issues involved with securing their smartphones, tablets, workstations and/or servers, AVG has created a set of AVG Small Business Security Guides which provide simple but effective steps small business owners can take to secure their business. Also, for video tips from AVG (AU/NZ), see: www.youtube.com/user/avgaunz

¹ The Sensis® Business Index – Teleworking, 2009.

² The Australian Bureau of Statistics, Locations of Work, November 2005.

³ Staples Advantage survey, USA, May 2011.

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About AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd — www.avg.com.au

Based in Melbourne, AVG (AU/NZ) Pty Ltd distributes the AVG range of anti-virus and Internet Security products in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific. AVG software solutions provide complete real-time protection against the malware, viruses, spam, spyware, adware, worms, Trojans, phishing and exploits used by cyber-criminals, hackers, scammers and identity thieves. AVG protects everything important and personal inside computers — documents, account details and passwords, music, photos and more — all while allowing users to work, bank, shop and play games online in safety. AVG provides outstanding technical solutions and exceptional value for consumers, small to medium business and enterprise clients. AVG delivers always-on, always up-to-date protection across desktop, and notebook PCs, plus file and e-mail servers in the home and at work in SMBs, corporations, government agencies and educational institutions.

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