Outsourcing is one of the more useful options available to businesses for acquiring specialists on a budget and involves hiring external resources, whether individuals or firms, to handle specific business activities or services. Virtual assistants (VAs) are a prime example of outsourced resources. They are remote workers who provide administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients from outside the client's physical office. This model has gained significant traction due to its cost-effectiveness and the flexibility it offers businesses to scale operations.
Virtual assistants can be engaged through agencies that specialize in remote administrative services, or directly as freelancers. Their strength is that their functions can vary widely and are primarily defined by the needs of the business. For example, you can outsource some of the following to VAs quite easily:
When integrating a VA into your operations, certain data and software access is typically necessary, which can include:
With virtual assistants accessing such sensitive data and critical systems, the security risks increase significantly. These risks need to be managed through strict security measures and protocols to ensure that your business remains protected. In this blog, we’ll go over 10 potential security risks that hiring a VA may pose, and how you can tackle each of them.
Virtual assistants typically require access to company systems and databases to perform their duties efficiently. Improperly managed access can lead to over-privileged accounts, where VAs have more access than they need, potentially exposing sensitive information or critical systems to misuse or unauthorized activities.
Solution: Implementing role-based access control (RBAC) ensures that VAs receive access strictly necessary for their job functions. This minimizes the risk of data breaches by limiting their access scope. Regular audits and updates of these access privileges can adapt to changing roles and responsibilities, further securing your data environment.
When VAs use personal devices for work-related tasks, there's a significant risk these devices aren't configured with the same security standards as in-house IT equipment. This discrepancy can expose your network to malware and other security vulnerabilities.
Solution: Provide virtual assistants with company-approved devices that are equipped with the necessary security tools and configurations. Alternatively, requires the use of secure, company-managed virtual desktops that provide a controlled environment for accessing and processing data.
Virtual assistants working from cafes or using home Wi-Fi without secure configurations can expose network traffic to interception by cyber criminals.
Solution: Require all remote workers, including VAs, to use VPNs when accessing the company network. This encrypts the data in transit, drastically reducing the risk of interception. This can increase your costs in terms of paying for VPN access, but it’s a business expense that can drastically mitigate what would otherwise be a significant financial or operational risk.
Virtual assistants may be particularly vulnerable to phishing due to their remote working conditions and the variety of communications they handle. It is also possible that, depending on exposure and experience, they might simply be unaware of the more sophisticated phishing scams out there.
Solution: Regular, up-to-date training sessions on cybersecurity best practices and how to recognize phishing attempts can fortify your VAs against these threats. Simulated phishing exercises can also help reinforce this training by putting their knowledge to the test in a controlled environment.
You can’t police what you can’t track. Without stringent data security policies, VAs might not be aware of the best practices for handling confidential information, leading to accidental breaches.
Solution: Create detailed security policies that cover aspects such as data encryption, secure file sharing, and proper data disposal methods. Ensure that these policies are communicated effectively to all virtual assistants.
Without regular checks, there might be ongoing security practices or breaches that go unnoticed, compounding risks over time. All it takes is one small failure for a data breach to occur, and constant vigilance is required.
Solution: Conducting periodic security audits can help identify and rectify security lapses. These audits should review access logs, data usage patterns, and compliance with security policies.
Simple passwords or static security measures are often insufficient to protect against unauthorized access in today’s advanced threat landscape.
Solution: Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) across all systems accessed by virtual assistants can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access, as it adds layers of security beyond just passwords.
To do their jobs well, VAs often need to use third-party applications or even storage services. Depending on the job brief, the usage may be one-time or recurring. Often, these third-party services are not vetted, potentially leading to data leaks.
Solution: Establish a clear policy on the use of third-party services, including a vetted list of approved applications. Regularly evaluate these services for security compliance.
Ambiguities in contracts regarding data protection responsibilities can lead to legal liabilities and data breaches if VAs are not clear on their obligations. Drafting up watertight legal contracts requires expertise, time, and money, and not all firms have access to all three.
Solution: Ensure contracts with virtual assistants explicitly define data security expectations, responsibilities, and the consequences of breaches. These contracts should be regularly reviewed and updated as necessary.
Relying heavily on a single virtual assistant for critical tasks can create a point of failure in the event of their unavailability. While this is generally an operational risk, there can still be an aspect of security risk in the case of unwitting data failures listed in the rest of this article.
Solution: Develop a strategy that involves training multiple VAs on essential tasks and creating robust succession and contingency planning, as well as multiple safety nets in case of any risk of security breaches.
By taking these steps to mitigate the risks associated with virtual assistants, you can maintain a secure and productive working environment that harnesses the benefits of outsourcing while protecting your business's vital assets.
Founded by serial entrepreneurs, Leverage Assistants is a white-glove service that helps you find 1% assistants and then teaches you how to build leverage with them. If you're interested in a strategy session to learn how to use an assistant, click here.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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