13 Cybersecurity Tips For Remote Workers

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Governments in different parts of the world have kicked off the “delay” phase of their approach to fight the virus. Social distancing is including in this strategy and it involves closing down schools and advising workers to work from home. In other places, a lot of individuals are choosing to work remotely so they could isolate themselves or to help in slowing down the spread of the virus.

With the advent of the internet, it is now possible for people to do many of their regular duties right from the comfort of their home. As a matter of fact, a lot of people are already working full time from their home office or a nearby coffee shop. But it also comes with its own set of disadvantages, like being susceptible to online security threats. Remote workers is putting their own privacy at risk and it could also breach the online security of the company that they are working for.

Cybersecurity Tips Remote Workers Must Know

Use Strong Passwords

Make sure that you protect all of your accounts using strong passwords. Unfortunately, there are still many people who use the same password on different accounts. If you are one of them, then you’re giving a cybercriminal the chance to guess one password and they can have access to your accounts. You need to use unique passwords for each of your accounts and it must be comprised of numbers, lower and upper case letters, as well as special characters.

Two Factor Authentication

It’s not enough to have a strong password. You also need to set up 2FA or two factor authentication as well as a two factor verification so you can provide additional layers of protection to all your accounts.

Use a VPN

You should familiarize yourself with VPN or virtual private network. VPNs can be used to go around geographic restrictions on  location specific content like streaming sites. 

Another important role of a VPN is that it can improve your online privacy. It can encrypt your internet traffic, making it unreadable to anybody who intercepts it.  

Set Up Firewalls

It serves as a line of defense that help prevent threats that try to enter your system. They will make a barrier between the internet and your device by closing the ports used for communication. This could help stop malicious applications from entering your system and prevent data leaking from your device.

Install An Anti-Virus Software

Threats can still get through even if you have set up the firewall. Given than, you should have a second line of defense by installing a good antivirus software. It will help detect and block common malware.

Secure Your Home Router

You should protect your home network so you can stop malicious programs and parties from getting access to the connected devices. You should change the password of your router and set the encryption to WPA2 orWPA3.

Install Updates On A Regular Basis

It is important to update your device software as well as other applications installed in your system. Updates is comprised of security patches, which help reduce your risk having to deal with online threats.

Back Up Your Data

You can lose data in several ways like physical damage to your hardware, cyberattack, or human error. Ransomware and malware can wipe your whole system without you even noticing it. So, you have to back up your data and one of the most effective option is to store your data in the cloud.

Be Careful of Remote Desktop Tools

A lot of employers will allow their staff to get access to their work network through Remote Desktop Protocols. Although this can be secure, this can also be used by hackers to get access to your system.

Watch Out For Fishing Emails and Websites

Cybercriminals use phishing emails and even voicemails to phish for information. They can further use it for spear phishing, account takeover fraud, and credit card fraud. So be very careful.

Be Wary of Work From Home Scams

There is also a rise in work from home scams and other similar schemes that target remote workers. Be wary of those who ask for personal information or upfront payments before you can start working.

Use Encrypted Communications

Make sure you use a secure method of communication when getting in touch with your fellow remote workers. A few good examples are Telegram, Signal, and WhatsApp.

Lock Your Device

In case you need to work in a public place. Be sure to lock your device. For more protection, you can use BitLocker or VeraCrypt.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. in Columbia and let our team of IT experts set up the most effective and suitable security measures that will address your company’s unique cybersecurity needs.

SpartanTec, Inc. Columbia, SC 29201 (803) 408-7166 http://manageditservicescolumbia.com/

cities served:
Columbia, West Columbia, Cayce, St Andrews, Lexington, Oak Grove