Cybersecurity & Asynchronous Work

Remote work has revolutionized the way that we approach employment by allowing employees to work outside of a central location. It is a natural progression for the flexibility of remote work to expand to asynchronous work, which allows employees to perform outside of structured time parameters. Asynchronous work, or “asynch,” can drive retention and productivity for your business or organization by allowing team members to contribute when they are most productive and creating an optimal work/life balance. It also helps to address the issues that arise in global environments when remote workers are spread across multiple time zones.

In some ways, asynch work is conducive to good information security practices. Malicious hackers do not operate according to a typical work schedule. Having ethical hackers and testers performing penetration testing at various times outside of the conventional weekdays and office hours more closely mirrors the 24/7 efforts of cybercriminals.

Evaluation of the tools that are used is another important consideration. In order for projects to progress when key players are not simultaneously engaged, effective communication is essential. A good project-management tool helps to facilitate collaboration and communication on projects even when everyone is not working at the same time. When choosing and using these tools or any third-party software, security is a necessary consideration. Make sure that evaluating and monitoring your project-management tool is part of your overall security strategy.

Asynchronous work can also rely heavily on email and messaging services. Ensure that your employees are properly trained to recognize the security risks that come from phishing, smishing, and improper password management.