The COVID-19 pandemic had a big impact on distant working. Five years on, the masks have gone and a few corporations are actually mandating a return to work coverage, however for small companies distant working stays widespread observe.
According to the Office for National Statistics, within the first quarter of 2025 greater than 1 / 4 (28%) of working adults in Great Britain loved a hybrid strategy to their workplace location. Another study performed in April discovered that 21.5m Brits (39% of the inhabitants) do business from home a minimum of among the time.
But hybrid working isn’t a profit that’s evenly distributed throughout professions. Beaming claims a staggering 81% of UK small companies help distant working.
While the advantages to staff are clear, permitting to workers to do business from home generally is a safety nightmare. So, how can a small enterprise guarantee its staff, enterprise knowledge, funds and status, keep secure in a world of continually evolving digital threats?
What are the largest safety dangers related to distant working?
Traditionally, a small enterprise might need saved delicate knowledge on an area server that might be accessed solely by gadgets on that community. Now, with staff doubtlessly working at dwelling, in espresso outlets, and even overseas, enterprise knowledge may be extra simply intercepted and compromised by hackers because it strikes across the internet.
Man-in-the-middle assaults
When connecting to public Wi-Fi, customers could not realise that the community isn’t all that it appears. Hackers can simply arrange a pretend reference to a venue-matching title that screens and data all exercise performed over that community. This contains any delicate knowledge that’s despatched or obtained and, in a worst-case state of affairs, that is likely to be what you are promoting banking knowledge and account particulars.
Phishing assaults
One of the most typical forms of scams employed by hackers is called phishing. A cybercriminal will goal a person through a textual content message, electronic mail or different methodology of communication and use familiarity ways to lull them right into a false sense of safety, in the end convincing them to click on on a dodgy hyperlink or hand over delicate info. Employees can’t be alert to those scams in each scenario, and with AI now making these messages ever extra convincing they’re more and more troublesome to identify.
Malware, viruses and spy ware
Another potential hazard from phishing-style assaults is that the person unknowingly has malware put in on their machine. This can then watch and report all the pieces they do, resembling logging into firm accounts, accessing enterprise banking accounts, speaking with shoppers, and every other business-related actions.
How can a small enterprise shield its distant employees from digital threats?
Due to the dispersed nature of distant working, it may be a problem to implement the identical degree of safety as you may within the enclosed atmosphere of a office. That’s why utilizing a devoted small enterprise safety software program suite may be an effective way to guard your shoppers and staff alike, with out racking up large bills or including much more stress to your busy day.
Norton Small Business is an entire answer that features numerous purpose-built safety instruments to assist what you are promoting keep away from falling sufferer to the type of assaults outlined above.
With the usual bundle you get always-on antivirus and firewall safety that works to constantly guard towards viruses, malware and spy ware assaults. There’s additionally a safe browser that staff can use when engaged on enterprise paperwork or accessing on-line banking.
Passwords and delicate paperwork may be saved in an encrypted vault to assist stop prying eyes from gaining entry, whereas Norton retains tabs on the darkish internet to hunt out worker id or enterprise knowledge which will have been compromised and now presents a menace to the enterprise.
There can be an automated software program updater for Windows PCs, ensuring staff don’t neglect to replace outdated apps that might include safety vulnerabilities, plus 250GB of safe cloud-backup area for any business-critical recordsdata.
If your safety wants are larger, the Norton Small Business Premium plan contains all the pieces in the usual plan, plus some helpful extras. You get a VPN service that encrypts all knowledge flowing between a tool and the net, serving to you shield the enterprise from man-in-the-middle assaults. You additionally get notified within the occasion of suspicious monetary transactions, or fraudulent social media posts which will threaten the corporate’s status.
The premium plan bumps up the safe cloud storage to 500GB, plus you get the peace of thoughts that comes with 24/7 enterprise tech help must you encounter enterprise IT issues – supreme for small companies who lack their very own IT group.
Choose Norton for small enterprise safety
Running a small enterprise is difficult sufficient, without having to fret about IT issues and digital threats as effectively.
The commonplace plan prices £54.99 for as much as three staff, £69.99 for as much as 5 staff, and £99.99 for as much as 10 staff. Step as much as Norton Small Business Premium to get pleasure from 24/7 Business Tech Support, Secure VPN, Financial and Social Media Monitoring, Driver Updater and 500GB of safe Cloud Backup on-line storage; it prices £149.99 for as much as 5 staff, and £199.99 for as much as 10 staff. All costs are for the primary 12 months.
Right now, PCWorld readers can benefit from a uncommon 30% low cost, unlocking Norton Small Business from simply £38.50/first 12 months, and Norton Small Business Premium from simply £105/first 12 months. Just enter the code PCWNSBP at checkout to take benefit.
You don’t should spend any cash to see the advantages of the Norton Small Business plans although, as there’s a 30-day trial that permits you to strive it earlier than you subscribe.
With Norton Small Business, retaining what you are promoting and its staff safer from digital threats is straightforward, whether or not that’s within the workplace, at dwelling or on the street.