Cybersecurity measures for Customer Service in remote work increase

• In less than a month, Atento created a remote work model with reinforced cybersecurity.
• Currently, more than 72,000 Atento agents work from home.

Mexico City, January 26, 2021.- Due to the health contingency, Atento – a leading customer service company (CX) – adapted its operations to a remote work scheme for around 5,000 employees in Mexico and more than 60,000 agents globally, with the aim of taking care of their health and, at the same time, giving continuity to the services with their clients, while reinforcing security measures for the performance of their tasks.

Cybersecurity became even more important with the remote work model. According to a study carried out by Kaspersky, during 2020 more than 37 million attacks on companies were registered in Latin America, while the UN warned of a 600% increase in cyberattacks globally during the first months of the contingency.

The consequences of data leakage from a cyberattack have important consequences for companies, since 50% of users point out that they would see the affected brand in a negative way even after a year after the incident. This aspect is one of the biggest concerns for security managers in companies, who see external attacks, malware and accidental information leaks by email as the three main vulnerabilities for any organization.

Regarding Atento, its agents are working from home through the Atento@Home model, which in less than a month adapted the digitization efforts they had already carried out for this new normal. To guarantee security in home operations, the company has implemented and reinforced the following measures worldwide:

Computers

In order to guarantee information security, the company’s computers have USB port blocking systems and bluetooth antennas. Additionally, programs outside the work platform cannot be installed, so information is never stored on the device’s hard drive. Once the work shift is over, the machine is debugged and no type of data can be accessed.

Software

Atento´s computers have the latest Antivirus, Antispyware and Antimalware versions, in order to prevent any type of threat. To ensure its correct operation, administrators can remotely update security patches on devices. Furthermore, the work platform only works when connecting to Atento’s exclusive virtual private network (VPN), which guarantees a much more secure encrypted communication.

Data encryption

Communication between agents, end customers and information management systems are end-to-end encrypted, with the aim of protecting data from being intercepted by third parties, and guaranteeing that it reaches only those for whom it is intended.

Access

The work platform can be only accessed through an approved and active login. In addition, a two-step authentication process is required in order to verify the agent´s identity. An SMS message with a code is sent to the agent in order to complete the login process. Agents have profiles that only allow them to see information of the campaign in which they work. Additionally, sensitive end-customer information can be hidden or “masked” to keep it safe.

Shifts

In addition to the measures put in place to guarantee the identity of the agent when accessing the platform, the assigned profile defines the hours and days in which the agent can work, and access is blocked outside those hours. In addition, after 120 seconds of inactivity the system locks the session automatically.

Compliance

To guarantee that all these cybersecurity measures are working correctly, as well as to monitor anomalies, there is a dedicated team, supported by analytical software, which alerts in case of irregular or suspicious behavior in the work systems.

Screen watermark

Which shows the IP address, time and date, and the user, among other control elements.

Agent geolocation with MFA token

Multi-factor authentication process, including where the agent connects. If the agent is located anywhere else, the system gets blocked.

Facial recognition

Real-time screen monitoring with facial recognition. This biometric identity check guarantees  that the person using the equipment is the agent.

About Atento

Atento is one of the five largest global providers for client relationship management and business process outsourcing services nearshoring for companies that carry out their activities in the United States. Since 1999, the company has developed its business model in 13 countries with a workforce of 150,000 employees. Atento has over 400 clients for which it provides a wide range of CRM/BPO services through multiple channels. Its clients are leading multinational companies in the technology, digital, telecommunications, finance, health, consumer and public administration sectors, amongst others. Atento trades under ATTO on the New York Stock Exchange. In 2019 Atento was recognized by Great Place to Work® as one of the 25 World’s Best Multinational Workplaces and as one of the Best Places to Work in Latin America. For more information www.atento.com

Media inquiries

press@atento.com