Is Remote Access Over the Internet Safe?

If you telework, telecommute, or just travel a lot as part of your job, you may wish that you could access the files on your office or work computer remotely. But is it safe?

The safety of your remote access connection depends on many connected attributes. If done well, it can be perfectly safe, and tremendously helpful. If implemented poorly, your remote access systems can be a huge security hole. The two critical areas to manage to ensure secure remote access are authentication and encryption.

Authentication is key because it allows the software system to validate your identity. If another person can convince those systems that they are, in fact, you, then all other security elements are defeated because they will simply grant the imposter the same privileges the "real" you would have. Passwords alone are generally considered too weak for this purpose, particularly if you handle any sort of sensitive data - financial records, HR information, medical records, product information, etc. A "multifactor" authentication system (one where a password is combined with something you have, like a physical USB key, or something you are, like a fingerprint or retina scan) is necessary to truly protect your identity.

Assuming your authentication is strong, encryption is used to protect your data as it traverses the Internet between your remote device and your office PCs and networks. If the data isn't encrypted, anyone can intercept and read the information. With encryption, even if an attacker intercepts the data stream, they won't be able to read the information because it's scrambled. 256-bit AES encryption is the gold standard at the moment, because it requires an absurdly high amount of computing power and time to crack (by some estimates, 149 trillion years), and therefore protects your information against malicious use.

So, when the technology is implemented properly, you can indeed work from home safely.

Top 5 Jobs for Telework

Telework isn't for everyone. A factory worker, chef, elementary school teacher, airline pilot, or car mechanic would have a difficult time working from home on a regular basis - at least as their jobs are currently structured. Same for an astronaut, dog trainer, or anyone else with a hands-on sort of job description. Instead, telework is best suited for information-oriented jobs that rely heavily on the computer and telephone. These jobs might include writing, marketing, computer programming, engineering, accounting, legal work, etc.

Here are my top 5. How about you? Post yours in the comment area or link back from your blog, and we'll create a separate entry in a week or two with the best lists.

Top Telework Jobs

1. Computer programmer


2. Technical writer


3. Call center representative


4. Budget analyst


5. Medical transcriptionist

Telework Doesn't Mean Solitary Confinement

One of the main benefits to working from home or a telework center is the peace and quiet of avoiding rush hour traffic and the distractions of the office. Of course, one of the main drawbacks to working at home is that very same peace and quiet. It can get too quiet. Here are some tips for avoiding the isolation. Post yours in the comment area or link back from your blog and we'll publish a list in a few weeks.

Top 5 Ways for Teleworkers to Avoid Isolation

1. Turn on some music - not all day long necessarily, but some music (or even TV news like CNN, though I personally find this more distracting) can help to break the monotony and re-energize your creative mind.


2. Take a break and go outside - walk around the neighborhood, mow the lawn, or just go get the mail. Your coworkers in the office are taking breaks to get coffee, chat with colleagues down the hall, or go out for a smoke. There's no reason you should be chained to your PC.


3. Take a lunch break!


4. Contact your colleagues in real time - IM, chat, videoconference, txt message, twitter, FaceBook, or even the plain old telephone will do the trick. Just pick something other than email, which lacks the sense of conversation. Try to communicate with coworkers at least once before lunch and once after, to stay connected.


5. Get into the office on a regular basis - even if you think you could telework every day, the research shows that's a bad idea. At least one day of in-office time per week is a must-have for a truly effective telework program. That day is best spent having meetings, building relationships, and engaging in creative and strategic exercises. Save the email, web research, and document editing for another telework day.

Telework a Solution for Swine Flu?

While it obviously won't help make sick people better, telework is a great solution to keep operating in the face of a flu pandemic - whether it originates in birds, swine, or just plain ol' people. It just makes sense to use a secure remote access solution to log in from home rather than ride on a crowded subway or visit a bustling office building. That's why having a tool like SafeTelework.com is so important -- that way, when something unexpected and bad happens (flu pandemic, ice storm, bridge collapse), you'll be prepared to maintain your operations as if nothing ever happened in the first place.