December 18, 2025 Best Practices 3 min read

Remote Work Security for Canadian Businesses

By Cybersecurity Canada Editorial Team | Published December 18, 2025

Remote and hybrid work has become permanent for many Canadian businesses. What started as a pandemic necessity is now a standard operating model. But the security implications are significant — and many SMBs haven't caught up.

The Security Challenges

When employees work from home, coffee shops, or co-working spaces, your security perimeter expands dramatically:

• Home networks lack the protections of a business firewall
• Personal devices may be used for work tasks without adequate security
• Public WiFi at coffee shops and airports is inherently insecure
• Physical security is harder to control outside the office
• Shadow IT increases as employees adopt their own tools to stay productive

Essential Remote Work Security Measures

1. VPN for All Remote Connections

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) encrypts the connection between your employee's device and your business network. This is non-negotiable for remote work.

• Require VPN for all access to company resources
• Enforce MFA on VPN connections
• Choose a business-grade VPN — free consumer VPNs are not appropriate for business use
• Consider always-on VPN configurations for company-managed devices

2. Multi-Factor Authentication Everywhere

MFA is especially critical for remote workers because their credentials are at higher risk. Enable MFA on:

• Email and productivity suites (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace)
• Cloud storage and file sharing
• VPN connections
• Any system accessible from outside the office

3. Device Security

Whether employees use company-owned or personal devices, minimum standards must be enforced:

• Automatic updates enabled for operating system and applications
• Anti-malware software installed and current
• Full disk encryption enabled (BitLocker on Windows, FileVault on Mac)
• Screen lock with a short timeout
• Host-based firewall enabled

For BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) environments, consider mobile device management (MDM) software that can separate and protect work data without controlling the employee's personal use.

4. Secure Home Network Guidance

Most employees aren't network security experts, but simple guidance helps:

• Change the default router admin password
• Use WPA3 or WPA2 encryption for WiFi
• Keep router firmware updated
• Consider a separate WiFi network for work devices

5. Public WiFi Policy

Employees should understand the risks of public WiFi:

• Always use the VPN when on public networks
• Never access sensitive systems without VPN protection
• Disable auto-connect to open WiFi networks
• Use mobile data as a fallback if VPN isn't available

The Human Element

Technical controls are essential, but remote workers also need:

• Clear policies — Written guidelines on acceptable use, device requirements, and security expectations
• Regular training — Including phishing awareness and secure work-from-home practices
• Easy reporting — A simple way to report security concerns or suspicious activity without fear of blame

How the Baseline Controls Apply

The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security's Baseline Controls directly address remote work security across several areas:

• BC.5 (Authentication) — MFA and password management
• BC.8 (Mobile Devices) — BYOD policies and device management
• BC.9 (Network Security) — VPN, firewalls, and WiFi security
• BC.10 (Cloud Services) — Securing cloud tools used by remote teams

Our free assessment evaluates your organization across all 13 control areas, including the remote work-critical areas listed above.