A. John Coulthard of Microsoft UK, writes:
All PCs need the same level of protection, regardless of whether they are home or office based. There are ever-evolving threats from viruses, and not all home- PC users keep up to date with the latest security protection software in the way that a well-organised company does.
It sounds like you may have given your employees free reign to access office systems without resolving important security issues first – it’s always best to create a watertight security policy, one that ensures that your systems are protected and employees are aware of the potential vulnerabilities they are placing on the company, before beginning a home-working initiative.
Your priority now should be to repair the holes in your system as quickly as possible. It’s likely that some staff might be accessing the internet at home without the latest antivirus protection. Home-workers may also be using their company email address for personal use, which could also be a source of some of your problems.
To avoid virus attacks and spam, you need to secure all home PCs. The best way to do this is to install firewalls and anti-virus software on all laptops and home PCs. The antivirus software needs to be kept regularly updated to ensure it remains effective; such software can rapidly become obsolete.
Home-users should also use Outlook web access. This should cut down on the risk of spam and viruses, plus it has the added benefit of allowing employees to see the same email at home as they do at work.