Top 5 ways to secure employee devices while on vacation this summer

(BPT) – While the rest of your friends are packing sunscreen, cold beverages and beach towels for that ocean getaway, don’t forget to pack some security punch into your summer vacation with best-in-class security tools and the world’s best open directory platform — JumpCloud.As more employees are bringing work laptops or other devices along with them on summer vacation these days, it’s a good idea to keep security top of mind — along with the sunscreen — for protection while you’re enjoying fun in the sun.For small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) especially, IT admins need all hands on deck when it comes to guarding against security breaches. Without big budgets or a large staff, IT admins at SMEs juggle multiple demands as the sole resource responsible for keeping the company operational — and its data secure.Here are the top ways SMEs can help employees keep their devices secure, anywhere they go — but remember, these tips don’t prevent damage from sand or ocean waves!1. Make sure everyone keeps business and personal devices separateIn a recent survey of IT admins conducted by JumpCloud, the majority of respondents (nearly 80%) said at least some employees at their organization use personal devices for work purposes. But personal devices can introduce unnecessary risk to any company, so it’s best to remind everyone how important it is to keep business and personal devices separate. Don’t conduct business or make network connections using personal devices — and don’t order beachside takeout on your company cell.2. Give everyone a refresh on common threatsEmployees on vacation need to know the dangers of using unsecured public Wi-Fi connections while away from home. Offer regular training on your organization’s best security practices and protocols when accessing your company’s network on any device. Provide frequent reminders and alerts about how to avoid common phishing scams, and the importance of promptly reporting lost or stolen devices. The upside? Employees will learn how to keep their personal information more secure, too! And that is a vacation bonus anywhere you travel.3. Use a directory platform with comprehensive security solutionsTo help you stay on track from wherever you’re working — or playing, the JumpCloud Directory Platform enables SMEs to adopt a zero-trust security posture by establishing trusted identities, trusted networks, trusted devices and conditional access control policies to manage how and what resources users can access.JumpCloud provides an open unified platform for access, identity and device management for easy remote work management. Its entirely zero-touch onboarding process allows IT admins to onboard and offboard users and devices anywhere in the world with automated workflows in a single web console. Simply put, JumpCloud offers an open directory platform for secure, frictionless access from any device to any IT resource, anywhere — even when you’re relaxing on the beach.4. Update to state-of-the-art security practicesEveryone loves the latest tech — but especially IT admins with security updates at the top of their to-do list. If you’re not using them already, take advantage of the latest technology to implement updated security practices such as multifactor authentication (MFA), biometric authentication and password managers — companywide. Knowing you’re using cutting-edge security will make it easier to sit back and enjoy your time off even more.5. Use patch managementPatch management is essential for cyber defense, yet many organizations struggle with patching in their hybrid work environment — which is even tougher during summer months when more employees are out of office. Patch management from JumpCloud makes it easier for IT admins to deploy automated patch updates and strengthen overall security. IT admins can use patch management to manage Mac and Windows updates and patches from the JumpCloud console easily and quickly.”Especially when employees are not only working remote but also on vacation, SMEs need to be able to manage a variety of identity and device environments — without adding friction to the user experience,” says Joel Rennich, head of device identity at JumpCloud. “Using a comprehensive directory solution is an effective way to meet these needs, wherever your employees are located.”Before you pack your suitcase for your well-earned vacay, learn more about the latest security solutions at JumpCloud.com.