Cyber Security for Hybrid and Remote Working: What UK Businesses Need to Have in Place

Hybrid and remote working are no longer a temporary arrangement, they’re simply how a large share of UK businesses operate now. That shift brings a genuine security question that doesn’t go away once the novelty wears off: an employee working from a kitchen table or a spare room is connecting to your systems from a network and a set of devices your business doesn’t directly control. Here’s what’s actually worth having in place.

Secure the Home Network, Not Just the Office One

A home router is rarely set up with business use in mind. The same basics that matter for shared office Wi-Fi apply at home too: current encryption (WPA3 where the router supports it), a strong, unique password rather than whatever came printed on the box, and firmware kept up to date. It’s worth including a quick home network check in staff security guidance, most people have simply never thought to look.

BYOD: Managing Personal Devices Used for Work

Bring your own device, using a personal laptop or phone for work, is common and can be managed safely, but only with a clear policy behind it. A few things worth having in place:

• Separate business and personal data: modern device management tools can create a secured, isolated space for work data on a personal device, so a lost phone doesn’t mean every photo and personal account on it is also exposed, and a remote wipe on leaving the business doesn’t touch anything personal.
• Set a minimum security bar: any device accessing business systems should meet basic requirements, encryption enabled, a passcode set, and current software, whether it’s company-owned or personal.
• Write it down: a short, clear acceptable use policy removes ambiguity about what’s expected, rather than leaving staff to guess.

Video Conferencing Security

Video calls became routine almost overnight, and security settings often got left on whatever the default was. A few habits worth checking are still in place: meeting links shared only with intended attendees rather than posted somewhere public, a waiting room or passcode enabled for anything sensitive, and screen-sharing permissions set so only the host can start one by default. None of this is difficult, it just needs to actually be configured rather than assumed.

Physical Security Still Matters at Home

It’s easy to think of security as purely digital, but a work laptop left unlocked on a kitchen table, or a sensitive call taking place somewhere it can be overheard, is a real and easily overlooked risk. Simple habits, locking a screen when stepping away, being mindful of what’s visible or audible during a call, and keeping any physical documents stored securely, carry over from the office just as much as they do at home.

Secure Access Ties It Together

None of the above replaces the basics covered elsewhere, multi-factor authentication, and a properly configured VPN or secure remote access tool, remain just as essential for hybrid working as they are for any other access to your systems. What’s different about hybrid and remote working isn’t the fundamentals, it’s that they now need to hold up across a wider, less predictable range of networks and devices.