It’s Time to Consider A Remote Hosted Desktop

two children sitting at desks in front of computer monitors

For many organizations, their ability to remain afloat in 2020 and for the foreseeable future, very much depends upon supporting a remote workforce. While there can be many advantages to working remotely or on the go, this relatively new form of work, especially in such volume, likely makes more than a few employers a little nervous. Not only do they not have direct physical oversight of their employees, but they also don’t have as much direct control over the workstations and devices their employees are using either. In this article, we will discuss some of the benefits employers can expect to experience by using a remote hosted desktop. In the end, many organizations will likely view them as an effective way to regain a significant amount of organization and control over valuable assets.

What is a Remote Hosted Desktop?

A remote hosted desktop has its infrastructure, consisting of working memory, software, data, and operating system, residing in the cloud. One of the obvious advantages to this is that IT administrators can now have easier access to the configurations of desktop machines throughout a company even though the employees using computer equipment are all working throughout a broad geographical region.

Powerful and Affordable

Employees that use software requiring significant amounts of computing power can benefit from using a remote hosted desktop model. Anyone that uses graphic-intensive apps such as Adobe editing software or AutoCAD will appreciate both the scalability and affordability of hosting these processes in the cloud rather than from an independent machine. Computing consumption can be more economical as businesses only have to pay for a virtualized GPU. Hosting subscriptions can often be less expensive than buying the high-powered workstations required by such power-intensive apps.

Manage Remote Hosted Desktops Anywhere

Anyone that works in retail knows that managing inventory, along with assets and supply chain components, typically means working between both online and mobile environments. Using a remote hosted desktop configuration, employees can manage processes from any device in any location. Retail processes that specifically benefit from a remote hosted desktop include deploying software updates and evaluating warehouse inventories across multiple locations.

New Options for Healthcare

Healthcare has always been slow to adopt technological changes, largely due to heavy regulations intended to protect confidential patient data. However, with the advent of COVID-19, the use of telemedicine has skyrocketed throughout the globe. Now physicians and other healthcare experts can deliver helpful medical care to patients through the use of virtualized desktops. With the great demand for and overall success of telemedicine, it’s likely that the delivery of effective healthcare has permanently moved in a new direction.

Call Centers

It’s already fairly well known that call centers were one of the first groups that moved to working from remote locations. This type of work typically has a high employee turnover rate and available bandwidth has substantially improved in the past few years. Thus, it should come as no surprise that this type of work will also likely permanently shift to remote positions only.

A cloud-based workspace is ideal for these types of positions since employees typically require all the same applications. Multi-factor authentication and data encryption security features can be built into remote hosted desktops. This provides greater incentives for companies to switch to cloud-based workspaces for these types of positions.

Freelancers for Remote Hosted Desktops

Although companies continue to operate mainly outside the traditional office setting, they still may need to contract with freelancers. Especially during the upcoming holiday season. Remote hosted desktops allow companies to hire the temporary employees they need. Without being burdened by some of the more traditional steps associated with onboarding new staff.

Cloud-based remote desktops offer employers much in the way of tighter control and security over valuable data. IT administrators can easily limit freelancers by only giving them access to the tools and files they need to perform their duties. Onboarding is also simplified, as companies can bring freelancers on simply by providing them with a username and password.

If you’d like to know more about the benefits of remote hosted desktops, please contact us.

Remote Hosted Desktops and Security – How to Protect your Data

a man wearing headphones and using a laptop

With so many people working from home, remote-hosted desktops are particularly useful. They can allow an employee to access everything they can in the office smoothly. However, they are also open to potential abuse, and vulnerabilities in remote desktop protocols are significant and growing. Here are some tips on how to protect your data when you have employees using remote desktops:

Limit Devices

The best practice for remote desktops is to issue the employee a company-owned laptop and allow only that device access to the remote desktop. This means you control the security software on the laptop and can prevent employees from installing personal software that might cause problems. You can also use this as an extra layer of security by enforcing a password on the device.

In general, users can be easily discouraged from using phones and tablets for remote desktops specifically, as it seldom works well and they have alternative methods for things like quick email checks.

You can also restrict access to only locations where your employees are likely to be. Locking to specific IPs is possible, but can cause problems; for example, even if your employee only ever works from home, rebooting their network router will change their computer’s IP and lock them out. However, you can restrict by geography, disallowing connections from overseas.

Control User Permissions

Many companies are careless about granting permissions to users and giving employees carte blanche access. Compartmentalizing user permissions and allowing them access only to the files they need can go a long way toward ensuring that a hacker can’t get to all of your data from one compromised account.

Obviously, you need to make sure you don’t negatively impact productivity, but making HR files read-only, for example, can be useful in protecting from malicious actors.

Protect your Data by Enabling Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication is good practice for all accounts. One good way is to use token-generating software that texts a code to the employee’s cell phone. These codes can only be used once, so are unlikely to be compromised.

You should also limit login attempts so as to prevent brute force attacks and encourage the use of good password hygiene. Passphrases are better than passwords as they are easier to remember.

Monitor Suspicious Activity

One concern with remote work is that supervisors can no longer do random checks on employees in their offices or cubicles. However, it is possible to keep at least a basic check on odd behavior. Obviously, you should not micromanage people, which reduces engagement and productivity. Things you can monitor, though, include connection attempts from odd locations or at times when the employee concerned does not normally work. VPN systems can generally spot unusually high network activity, which can also be a red flag.

Use Encryption to Protect your Data

Requiring files to be encrypted during remote work can improve security on top of using a VPN. The files cannot be read in transit even if an employee forgets to connect to their VPN or turns it off because the system is so slow they are unable to work, both of which have been known to happen.

Use AES 128 and/or AES 256 as the gold standard to protect your data.

Choose a Good Provider

Finally, make sure that the provider handling your servers is using up-to-date security methods. Ask about firewalls and rolling or incremental backups. Also, make sure they have a good record in terms of uptime. It’s even harder for remote workers to continue to operate when the network is down. Additionally, if they are using a virtual desktop they may not be able to access any of their files and may not be able to store stuff locally.

If you have employees using remote-hosted desktops or similar protocols and need advice on how to keep things secure, protect your data, and sustain productivity, contact Bluwater Technologies today.

Are Distractions at Home Increasing Vulnerability to Cyber Attacks?

a woman sitting at a desk in front of a computer

A lot of people are still working from home right now. Furthermore, many are not working from home under ideal conditions. They may be sharing an “office” with somebody else working from home, trying to care for children, dealing with pets, etc. On top of that, everyone is rather stressed right now. Could this be causing problems with cyber attacks?

Distractions and Cybersecurity

A study done by Tessian in April showed that 43% of a sample of employees in both the UK and the US admitted to errors that could have cybersecurity repercussions.

These errors included sending emails to the wrong person, clicking on links in a phishing email, and employees blaming fatigue, stress, and distraction. Furthermore, the worst offenders were in the tech industry…closely followed by banking and finance. These kinds of errors endanger companies and customers.

To make things worse, cyberattack attempts are also up as criminals take advantage of the shift to remote working. Scammers are using fears over COVID-19 to sell fake masks, trying to use stimulus checks to get personal information, etc. So, not only are workers more inclined to fail to notice a phishing attempt, but they may be receiving more of them.

Some people struggle more than others with working from home, but everyone is likely to be distracted right now, whether it’s by their family, the news, or the climbing case numbers.

What Should Employers Do About Cyber Attacks?

Unfortunately, reopening the office is unlikely to be an option for most companies before at least the fall, if not the end of the year. Schools also remain virtual in many areas, leaving employees stuck with childcare or trying to monitor remote learning. Meanwhile, employees, feeling the situation to be temporary, are unable or unwilling to make major changes to their lifestyle to accommodate remote work.

Employee training is, thus, the best and perhaps only option to resolve this situation. It’s important to continue to refresh cybersecurity training while employees are working from home.

Giving advice and tools to reduce distractions could also be helpful for many employees, especially those for whom a separate office with a closed door is not an option.

Simple ways to help focus include:

  • Playing music, ideally without lyrics.
  • Using the Pomodoro or similar technique to force alternating periods of focus and break.
  • Putting on street clothes rather than trying to work in your pajamas. For many people, this helps the brain get into work mode.
  • Planning out a schedule for the week.
  • Work out what distracts you and deal with it before work.
  • Use timers to block social media and other distracting sites.
  • Turn off your personal phone unless you need it for work.
  • Stick to your normal work schedule and hours.

None of these require that employees invest heavily in a temporary situation, and they can make a huge difference in productivity and focus. However, it’s best to avoid trying to force the removal of distractions. One university got into a PR mess by saying that workers could not care for their children while working from home. Sadly, this is unavoidable for many right now.

Working from home is making all of us more distracted (in some cases even including people who were already working from home, but now have to deal with spouses, children, and the overall stress of the situation). Employers need to make sure that these distractions don’t result in security breaches with improved training and by helping employees learn how to better focus when their office is in their living room.

For help with your IT problems and more advice on cyber attacks and employee training, contact Bluwater Technologies today.

8 Essential Tips for Working From Home During Coronavirus Outbreak

a person sitting at a table using a laptop computer

In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, most people are only left with the option of working from home. This is because the virus is easily spread through close contact with someone who already has the virus. If you have found yourself in such a situation, however, it is still very possible to be productive and maintain a balance between work and home. Here are some tips:

1. Act like you are going to work

Changing your pajamas and dressing as if you are going to work is a very crucial thing when you are working from home. This, in a big way, draws the line between being at home and work. Take a shower, apply makeup, style your hair, iron that suit, brush your teeth, and get ready to begin work. It would have looked so unprofessional and weird if, for instance, you received a video call from work, and you were just dressed in pajamas. It is, therefore, essential to take care of your appearance every morning.

 2. Create a working from home space/ office

When working from home, it is vital to keep your home life and work separate. This can be quite hard if, for instance, you have children at home. To avoid all sorts of distractions, ensure that you set up a working space where you will give your work the attention it demands. Try to make sure that the area is comfortable for you to work from there for several hours.

3. Clearly define working hours and stick to them

Working from home can lead to shorter or longer hours of working as compared to the office. Overworking can easily make you have burnout while under-working reduces your productivity. To avoid falling victim to all this, establish working hours and keenly stick to them. 

4. Establish transitions into as well as out of work

Commuting to and from the office is not just a simple and regular thing to do. This is because it goes a long way in preparing your mind and whole self for work and home, respectively. When you are working from home, it is also very crucial to engage yourself in activities that prepare your mind that it is time to work or to stop working. For instance, you can listen to some music to relax your mind for work or clear your mind after work. 

5. Avoid distractions when working from home

One of the biggest challenges people experience from home is distractions. Do not allow your mind to be bothered by the trending news since this hinders your productivity. Try to make sure that you are also not distracted by family members. Let them know that when it is time for work, they should give you enough space to work effectively.

6. Over-communicate

Working remotely requires you to communicate frequently, mostly when it is your first time doing that. Many times you may encounter challenges that you are not sure how to handle. Get in touch with your manager as well as your collaborative workmates. Let them know what your schedule is and what you plan to achieve at the end of every day. Get to know how they are working and coping from home also. This might give you a challenge and modify how you are working. 

7. Do not fall into the working from home isolation trap

Working from home may get lonely and affect your mental health. Try to counter that as much as you can. You can do that by video chatting or calling your coworkers and having the normal talks you usually have in the office. For instance, you can check out how their night or weekend was if you are used to that. 

8. Set break schedules

During the normal working hours in the office, there are breaks that you are given at specific times. Stick to that even while at home. If, for instance, you are used to having lunch with your colleagues, you can do that with your family before getting back to work. This gives you more time to bond with your family and be effective at work at the same time. 

Working from home, therefore, can be as effective and productive as working from the office. To learn more about this, feel free to contact us today.