Staying Secure: How Businesses Can Stay Secure in Shared Workspaces

Staying Secure: How Businesses Can Stay Secure in Shared Workspaces

Coworking spaces are booming right now.

It’s becoming increasingly common to hear about businesses leaving offices behind for coworking spaces. The flexibility, sense of community, and cost savings you just can’t get with a traditional year-long lease are some of the biggest reasons why. However…

Shared workspaces come with a whole new set of coworking cyber security challenges.

With a shared workspace, businesses have to think about:

  • Sharing networks with total strangers
  • Devices being left out in the open
  • Sensitive data being exposed to prying eyes

The good news? Businesses of all types can experience the benefits of coworking space without jeopardizing sensitive information if they take the necessary safeguards.

Here’s exactly how to do it…

What you’ll discover:

  1. Why Coworking Cyber Security Matters
  2. The Biggest Threats In Shared Workspaces
  3. Practical Ways To Protect Your Business
  4. Building A Long-Term Security Culture

Why Coworking Cyber Security Matters

Coworking is no longer a niche trend. It’s a full-blown movement.

There are now thousands of coworking spaces across the UK, with over 1,200+ alone in London. Sites such as Work.Life have been popularising this trend by providing flexible office spaces that cater to everyone from founders all the way up to established expanding teams. However, as more companies are crowding into shared offices, coworking cyber security risks continue to rise.

Think about it…

When someone becomes a member of your coworking space, another device joins your network. Another laptop is placed on a hot desk. Another stranger walks by your screen. All of these small interactions represent an opportunity for hackers.

And the numbers are pretty scary.

Research shows 1,774 data breaches affected 422 million people just last year (2022). That comes out to nearly 5 breaches per day. If your business operates in a shared workspace with other companies, your risk increases exponentially.

The Biggest Threats In Shared Workspaces

Coworking cyber security threats don’t always present themselves in the same way. Some are blatant. Some are stealthy.

Here are the biggest ones to watch out for.

Public Wi-Fi Networks

This may be the most commonly known threat. Free Wi-Fi is wonderful in most coworking spaces… However it also makes it super easy for hackers to sniff your data.

Anyone connected to the same network can potentially:

  • View unencrypted traffic
  • Launch man-in-the-middle attacks
  • Deliver malware payloads to unsuspecting users

Solution: Use a VPN whenever you work from a coworking space. It encrypts your traffic and prevents anyone from seeing what you’re doing online.

Shoulder Surfing And Physical Snooping

Coworking spaces are meant to be open environments. That’s part of their charm. But if you’re not careful anyone can sneak a peek at your monitor while passing.

Industry research shows 48% of respondents cite privacy concerns as one of the biggest threats to coworking security. Eye stealer creepers aren’t the only thing to worry about…. It’s a legitimate coworking cyber security issue when confidential materials are visible on your computer.

Unattended Devices

You wouldn’t leave your laptop unattended on your desk while getting coffee, would you? At a coworking space you should think twice.

A stranger could:

  • Steal the device outright
  • Plug in a USB with malware
  • Install remote access software in seconds

It doesn’t take long to do any of this. Many of these physical attacks happen in less than 60 seconds… When you are away from your desk.

Phishing And Social Engineering

Coworking spaces create communities. Excellent for collaborating … But also opens you up to social engineering.

A social engineer could pretend to be another member, ask an employee for a minor favour, build up that trust and then exploit their access at a later date. This has occurred many times.

Practical Ways To Protect Your Business

Ok, now for the good part.  Tips on how businesses can massively boost their coworking cyber security for cheap.

Use A VPN Every Single Time

Your VPN should be your first layer of defense anywhere there are shared work spaces. If your employee logs into a public network they better have one running. Period.

Pretty simple, right?

Lock Down Every Device

Every laptop, phone and tablet should have:

  • Strong passwords or biometrics
  • Full-disk encryption enabled
  • Automatic screen locks after 60 seconds
  • Remote wipe capability turned on

Even if a device is stolen, these small measures can prevent further damage from occurring throughout your business.

Enable Multi-Factor Authentication

Passwords just aren’t enough these days. Multi-factor authentication creates another level of security for your accounts, keeping them safe even if your password is compromised.

Turn it on for everything important:

  • Email accounts
  • Cloud storage
  • Business tools and dashboards
  • Banking platforms

Use Privacy Screens

Privacy screens are inexpensive, simple to setup, and immensely powerful. They prevent prying eyes from viewing your screen at an angle. Every coworking employee working on their laptop should have one installed.

Train The Team

Technology is only one piece of the puzzle. Human error is (almost) always the largest gap in coworking cyber security.

Train employees to:

  • Spot phishing attempts before clicking
  • Avoid unknown USB devices
  • Never leave devices unattended (even for a minute)
  • Report anything suspicious right away

Building A Long-Term Security Culture

Tools and rules are great. But real coworking cyber security comes from culture.

Organizations that build security as a culture (rather than a checklist) are drastically less likely to be breached. This includes holding frequent training, updating documentation when new threats arise, and encouraging your employees to ask questions.

A strong coworking cyber security culture includes:

  • Clear, simple security policies that anyone can follow
  • Regular reminders and updates about new threats
  • Easy reporting channels for concerns
  • Leadership that takes security seriously

If everyone working understands the risks and what needs to happen, coworking cyber security doesn’t feel like a burden.

Final Thoughts

Co-working spaces are here to stay. They offer enormous benefits to businesses. However, they also present legitimate coworking space security risks.

The good news?

Fortunately, many of these risks can be prevented with simple measures. A VPN, MFA, privacy screens, and thorough employee education can solve most of these. Add in a healthy security culture and any organization can operate safely in a shared environment.

Companies that take coworking cyber security seriously today will be the ones remaining secure tomorrow. By following the basics and keeping your team educated, coworking spaces can be just as secure as traditional offices.