In the modern digital age, working from home is a reality for many people. But with so many opportunities to work remotely, it’s important to take steps to protect your company data and keep it secure. This blog post will explore some of the best practices you can follow when working from home or in any other remote setting.
In the modern digital age, working from home is a reality for many people. But with so many opportunities to work remotely, it’s important to take steps to protect your company data and keep it secure. This blog post will explore some of the best practices you can follow when working from home or in any other remote setting.
Use Strong Unique Passwords
Using strong unique passwords is one of the most important things that you can do to protect your information. This habit is especially important when you’re working remotely. Why? Because weak reused passwords are easy to hack, and if hackers compromise a service that you use then your work account may be at risk and they could potentially steal important data.
Pay attention to what you’re using for passwords. You want to avoid using just one or two passwords for all of your accounts, so it’s important to create as much complexity as possible. As an example, you might use a password like “y6v5y££%44355hfGeqnx” for your social media accounts and “y#v5qFBerge536” for your work accounts. These passwords would be difficult for hackers to crack.
A password manager tool like 1Password can automatically create very complex, secure passwords for you and safely store and manage them.
Avoid Public Wi-Fi Networks
One of the biggest security concerns that you should be aware of when working remotely is using public Wi-Fi networks. This is because you’re potentially putting your data at risk when using these networks. Hackers can easily access public Wi-Fi networks in order to steal information. If you use public Wi-Fi, make sure to do the following:
Use a VPN .
This will encrypt all of the data that you send and receive in order to protect it from being intercepted. This will encrypt all of the data that you send and receive in order to protect it from being intercepted.
Use HTTPS websites.
Most of the time, websites that have a “secure” HTTPS connection are using a secure SSL certificate. If you’re using a website that doesn’t have a “secure” HTTPS connection, there’s a high chance that it’s being intercepted
Use a VPN
A Virtual Private Network is a great solution for businesses that want to ensure that their information is secure and encrypt their network traffic whilst working from untrusted networks. If your business uses a VPN, you can send and receive data securely from anywhere in the world. If you dont have a corporate VPN then you can pay for a 3rd party service like “Freedome” by F-Secure.
Make sure that your antivirus software is up to date
Make sure that your antivirus software is up to date. This is important because it will prevent you from downloading malware or viruses that could be used to steal your information. People often neglect to update (or license) antivirus on their home machines – make sure that your employees are all up to date and check whether your IT team is able to provide license cover for those without adequate protection.
Don’t store any business data in cloud storage accounts or on public computers
It’s important to avoid storing any business information in personal cloud storage accounts, like Dropbox or Google Drive. Personal cloud storage accounts are outside of your compliance policies and may be shared with other members of the household. Ensure that your team is practicing good data hygiene and are uploading work files to the company filestore on a regular basis.
Similarly, it’s important to avoid storing any information on public computers. It’s always best to use your own laptop or desktop computer when working remotely. That way, you know that the information you’re accessing is safe and secure.
Avoid using insecure Wi-Fi networks
One of the most common mistakes that people make when using public Wi-Fi networks is to use insecure networks. If you connect to an insecure Wi-Fi network, your data could be intercepted by anyone else on that network (or in range of it). To minimize this risk, you should only connect to WiFi networks with WPA2 encryption enabled (the little padlock sign next to the network name). If a network is listed as “secure”, then it means that its connection is encrypted to protect the information that you send and receive.
Keep your devices updated
It’s important to keep your digital devices up to date in order to minimize the risk of getting hacked. If you are using an older unsupported operating system then you may be at risk of exposing sensitive work data to cyber criminals as unpatched vulnerabilities may be exploited. Install updates as they become available, perhaps when you finish work for the evening so that your system is kept safe and secure.
So, if you think about it, the only way to truly protect your company data is by making sure that all of your online and offline activities are secure. That means taking steps like installing antivirus software on every device in use at work or home. It also means educating employees so they know how to identify phishing scams and avoid click bait links from social media sites. If you need help with this type of thing – we’re here for you! Book a free consultation today and let us make sense of cyber security together!