Due to the on-going situation every company has started their work process by asking employees to work from home. Working remotely can be very challenging in terms of being productive and delivering on time but this is not the biggest concern. Working remotely can introduce new security issues, the risks are higher depending on how well the end-user is accustomed to work away from the office.
Security in such times is crucial, hackers are the most active since authentication is being done from home devices, mobile phones etc. This opens companies/organization to new threats which can have a greater effect in terms of data loss which ultimately leads to financial loss.
Here are 15 Ultimate tips to work from home more securely during the current crisis and even after that.
- Pick a good workplace and maintain confidentiality
- Now this is a special case, but it is very easy to overlook, for video and audio calls, please make sure the calls are not on speaker, privacy is maintained and even if you are using headphones others should not be able to listen to your conversations.
- Now this one is critical and one of the biggest reasons for corporate data leaks, When working from home, do not allow any family member to use your office/work device for any task whatsoever. The problem is they might unknowingly download a virus/malware/spyware and you will be held accountable for it.
- If you need to access files from your servers, the ones which are live at your company’s location, use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to connect to your office. VPN create encrypted traffic flow avoiding hackers to intercept or sniff any of your work data. Even if you are not connecting to your company servers it is always better to use a VPN for your Internet activity to be more secure.
- Now-a-days there are many ways to find end user email ID’s which makes it easier for hackers to login and enter to your email addresses, use strong passwords! Simple method to create a strong password is to use password manager applications which will help you remember the hardest passwords with ease.
- Use multi-factor authentication, adding an extra security layer to your work email should be one of the first steps to be implemented in your organization.
- Make sure local file encryption is enabled, if your device is lost or stolen any local data will be difficult to access if you enable local drive encryption.
- Make sure your device is up to date on security updates and that you have an anti-malware program install on your computer, just in case!
- Please use the latest version of whatever browser you use. Most companies fix their security issues by updating their app and we can secure ourselves by downloading them.
- Store your files secure cloud locations and avoid local data theft or corruption. You can access the cloud from any place you want, just make sure you implement the above security steps.
- When storing your data on cloud, online make sure you change your file settings to private. We have seen it so many times, that a person forgot important details in a pastebin copy paste.
- Make sure local drive encryption, such as BitLocker, is enabled. That way if your device is lost or stolen any local data will be difficult to access.
- Make sure your device is up to date on security updates and has anti-malware program, like Windows Defender, actively running.
- Whenever possible use the web version of your apps, such as Word, Outlook, or Excel. Another benefit to storing your files in a secure cloud location is that when you use the web version of apps your data stays on the server and isn’t downloaded to your local device.
- Be alert for phishing emails. Criminals try to take advantage of fear and uncertainty by sending emails that appear to be from authorities, or company officers, to lure you into clicking on malicious links, or providing your private information. Before clicking on email links hover watch them before opening.
If you liked this post make sure to share it with someone who needs these tips! Also if you need help in setting up a seamless and secure work from home process for your company or organisation? Feel free to contact us at connect@matrix3d.com
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