IT security: stay secure on vacation

Summer is here, and so is vacation time. Employees everywhere will be leaving the office and their colleagues behind – heading for the coast, the mountains, the countryside, with family or friends. But switching off is often easier said than done. In fact, many staff give in to temptation and find themselves checking their emails, even if they’re lying on a beach somewhere tropical.

In May 2018, insurer Europ Assistance and market research firm Ipsos published their 18th annual Holiday Barometer. The survey aims to build a global picture of habits when it comes to shutting down for the summer vacation. The results revealed major discrepancies between employees in Europe and those elsewhere. Europeans plan to switch off completely during their summer break, including 70% of French respondents. Many employees in Asia, on the other hand, will still be working while on vacation, with 60% of Chinese and Indian respondents saying they have no intention of logging off entirely.

Forever connected

A study carried out by job matching site Qapa showed that the French still find it hard not to work on vacation. 62% of those surveyed admitted that they will still reply to emails and take calls from work during their break. 42% said they would check their emails several times a day.

To keep in touch with work during their time off, 75% of French employees use their smartphone, followed by 17% who said they use their computer. Professionals are taking advantage of new technology to stay connected with the office. 68% of respondents said that keeping in touch with work on vacation offers them peace of mind, and makes it easier when they return to work.

Security – just as essential when on vacation

However, IT security mustn’t be neglected just because summer is here. Accessing company data whenever and wherever still calls for extreme vigilance, and a high level of security needs to be in place – especially for the most sensitive and confidential of data.

Everyone needs to be aware of the risks, such as the potential theft or loss of data, not to mention viruses. Equally, everyone needs to have the right hardware and software available to work beyond the boundaries of the office conveniently and with complete confidence.

With mobile devices, staff can access the same information as using their office computer, even when on the other side of the world. This is all thanks to the cloud and other digital tools. Synchronization makes it possible to access the latest version of work files, regardless of device and location.  Make decisions, meet customer expectations, and get on with projects, all without leaving the beach.

Just like at the office

With the PostFiles solution by Oodrive, you can synchronize files across multiple fixed and mobile devices so you can consult, share, and modify them – without any time, location, or network access restrictions. The tool allows any employee to access their documents from their tablet, smartphone, or computer. And document updates are automatically synced across all devices. The solution guarantees confidentiality of corporate files that you sync and share, thanks to the high level of security provided.