Cybersecurity – Working From Home, how safe are you?
Many are now working from home, making video conference calls, uploading documents and conducting their daily business online. But experts are wondering if the remote nature of work could cause extra internet security concerns down the road.
While most workers are used to working at the office under carefully crafted IT systems, it’s impossible to quantify the number of permutations of home internet setups. Where one household could have a simple solution that works for their family, another household could have a virtual private network (VPN) subscription in place to mask their internet usage from prying eyes.
To help you reduce the security risks you may be taking while working from home, we’ve collected some tips from experts on steps you can take to fortify your digital workspace.
1: Pay Careful Attention
Be diligent in everything you do. In the past, only around 15% of people worked from home, so IT teams could tailor security systems to protect corporate information. With companies now allowing up to 95 percent of their staff to work from home, it’s a lot more complex. You need to keep a close watch for anything out of the ordinary that could indicate someone has access to your system. Read up on your company’s IT security policies and procedures, and report any problems and issues to your help desk as soon as you spot them.
2: Update Your Passwords
Check all your passwords and update them if you haven’t done so recently. This is especially important if you’re still using a default factory-issued password anywhere. Keep your passwords private and store them securely using an encrypted password manager, and don’t leave it open on your computer when you’re not at home. The Hackers out there know how often people ignore this issue, and they target the weak infrastructure in people’s homes to try to get into the corporations they work for.
3: Watch Out for Scams
Watch out for strange emails asking for information. Never open any unsolicited email attachment until you’ve confirmed with the person who sent it to you, because just one click or download can lead to a malware infection or loss of data, and impact your financial health.
4: Verify All Hyperlinks
In the office, it’s easy to walk up the corridor and ask someone if they sent you that suspicious-looking email. That option is gone with WFH. Hover over every link before clicking it to see if it looks authentic, and scrutinize the email it came with to check for signs of phishing. If you have any doubts at all then look at the domain in the URL and google it to verify it independently before you do anything further. Some adversaries create links that look very similar to the real thing, so be careful!
5: How safe is your IT equipment ?
If you’ve had some of your IT equipment for a long time, search for the brand and model online to see if there are ways to harden and secure the devices. Don’t share the devices you use for working from home with other people, and download any software updates and patches that are available for your devices. If you are unsure on how to do this, speak to one of our team and we will ensure your systems are up to date.
6: Protect Video Meetings
We don’t hide the fact that we are not a fan of Zoom and as reported in the press worldwide, thousands of peoples security has been severely compromised of late.
Work remotely and securely with online meetings, with Microsoft Teams.
Now more than ever, people need to know their virtual conversations are private and secure. With Microsoft Teams, privacy and security are never an afterthought. It’s their commitment to us all —not only during this challenging time, but always.
Our experienced teams at Cirrus can get Teams all set up and running for you in no time at all and also train and educate you on getting the best possible experience using TEAMS.
Working from home securely and collaboratively.
If you feel your working from home strategy needs further bolstering or security measures need reviewing, then call or contact our team of experts for further help.
0330 313 0966