What are the best ways to avoid privacy and security issues in technical support?

The most important thing which I think it lacks from the majority of companies is the lack of implemented comprehensive training programs for IT staff. The second most important is the communication within IT department. Importance of a Communication Officer.

To ensure secure communication channels, it is recommended to use services which enable end-to-end encryption. This can include services such as Telegram and Signal for messaging, or using Email encryption services such as Voltage SecureMail. It is recommended to use these services for confidential messaging, so that your data never gets intercepted.

In addition to all been said is that educate the clients that availability is very important for the client during remote sessions for the reasons below; 1. All processes must be approved by the clients 2. All sensitives information required in the process of remote session must be insight/inputted directly by the clients. 3. Zero Trust Policy must be applied throughout the remote session.

What has worked for me is to have at least weekly reminders, either by chat, email or in person, doesn't hurt to have Security teams send test emails also to verify adherence to security polices. It is that simple!!!

Privacy and security issues are common problems that exist in every department or section. Likewise in the technical support section. To maintain Privacy and Security Issues each staff must be provided with training and clear company regulations regarding user, staff and company confidentiality and the impact or consequences for users, staff and the company if a violation occurs.

Any business that stores sensitive client data on computers or laptops should have some level of security or encryption on the data in case the computer requires unattended repair. This can often lead to inconvenience in accessing the data, but will avoid potential exposure and damage to business / reputation.

This has always been a difficult scenario to overcome, because if the access is too tight - it may prevent the technician from accessing areas he needs to resolve your issue. I recommend saving and closing all sensitive files before a technician connects to your screen. Also, password protect / encrypt any files that cannot be seen by anyone, other than yourself.

Having a network attached storage (NAS) system in a home office or business can allow for files to be stored locally while providing secure remote access. They can be encrypted and backed up to the cloud, which adds security against data breaches and ransomware attacks.

Having your data attached to secure cloud storage will always prove useful in these circumstances. Your files will always remain backed up, so regardless what happens - your files are safe! I recommend services such as OneDrive, which will back up all of your data and sync them to the cloud. It is recommended that every organisation has such a service, to prevent mass data loss.

My favorite as password, OTP, FIDO2 & WebAuthn manager has long been Mooltipass. From the ground-up hardware designed with a secure enclave, indicative of a decent threat modeling exercise to start with. Entirely Open Source, including of the HW SBOM. What is not to like about your passwords being encrypted on a separate card using AES256 Cipher and 3 false pin entries disables the card with your password forever... yep that will do it for me.

Two-factor authentication may be irritating to most people, especially non-technical users, but that moment of irritation is less than the regret of having to deal with lost data. It is estimated that over 80% of ransomware attacks happen to smaller businesses, which have fewer security protocols, less formal policies and users that are more likely to have weak passwords. They are also more likely to pay hackers. All entrepreneurs and business owners should have security policies in place.

We live in an age where security measures we once thought were secure, are no longer a viable option. I've dealt with a scenario where even OTP codes via SMS DUO mobile has been breached. To ensure stronger security, we need to bring it to the physical world. I suggest for maximum security, to get your users on hardware authentication keys - such as Yubikey! Using hardware authentication methods should minimise security risk and breaches.

Yearly updated education videos or Knowledge base guides for users to go through, would surely increase privacy security practices. Also, monthly / quarterly email updates to users advising of the latest hacks and breaches happening in the space, and how we can avoid them would also contribute.

One thing that many forget is if you’re no longer using a service, deactivate your account. I see so many people have their accounts hacked, and they don’t use the account anymore so they’re clueless on recovering it. In that time, their friends and family can be being preyed on by hackers and no one realizes it unless the hacker is acting bizarrely enough.

Sending out fake phishing emails to your employees is a great way to educate them and learn how to recognise signs of phishing. From small changes in email addresses to false sense of familiarity or urgency, it is a proven effective way to understand phishing practices. Clicking the phishing icon in Outlook will present an explanation and inform them to not inform other colleagues.

Your people need to have 2 screens. For all your Support people that need to work with screen sharing, this is a must. One screen to FULLY share with the customer (not just a single window), and the other one for the support person to work on in parallel.

The cost of hiring a professional to assess your security posture (how you store information and what protection measures are in place), and having cyber-security insurance is far less than the cost of paying hackers and higher insurance premiums after an attack. The harm to your reputation is also a factor. If client information is put at risk, or your issue becomes public, it may become difficult for others to trust you and your business.

Monitoring and auditing data and system activities. Monitoring and auditing are processes of collecting, analyzing, and reporting data and system activities, such as logins, file accesses, changes, errors, or anomalies. Monitoring and auditing can help detect and prevent security and privacy breaches, as well as identify and resolve any issues or incidents that may occur.