Working remotely can be a big adjustment for some people, especially if you were use to an office environment previously. Given current events, more and more people are starting to transition to a work-from-home setup, and with this comes it’s challenges. Many people don’t have the proper data security measures in place when working remotely, so here are a few tips to help your cybersecurity while working from home.
1. Make sure your connection is secure
When working from an office, the company is typically responsible for all data security maintenance, but when your working at home, more of that responsibility falls on you. Having a security connection can ensure that your data isn’t falling into the wrong hands.
A lot of companies offer different types of SD-WAN solutions that, if available, you should definitely take advantage of. SD-WAN, or Software-Defined Wide Area Network, helps keep your connection fast and security when you’re working remotely, and is a great way to keep your data safe.
If your business doesn’t provide something like that for you, there are some simpler solutions that can work to help keep your personal information, personal. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are a great way to keep your “IP” address safe from anyone who might want to use it for malicious purposes. Make sure to decide which one of the top rated VPN services best suits your preferences for connection security
2. Know how to deal with a “phishing” attempt
Learning how to identify a phishing email is the first step in combating them. Phishing is a serious cybercrime where someone poses as a “legitimate institution” in an attempt to gain information, which they then use most commonly to steal identities or money. Phishing emails can be identified by several factors, most commonly that they are sent at very odd times, such as the middle of the night, or the email address are very close to trustworthy ones, but off by a single letter or symbol.
Once you’ve identified the phishing attempt, you can actually report the email to google, or the FTC. Reporting these emails helps the system better understand what a phishing email looks like so it can be avoided in the future, and can help other people not fall victim to the phishing email that you just received.
3. Back up your data often
Why should you back up your data? Long story short, accidents happen, and the world is unpredictable. Making sure that you have current copies of your data could save you in the long run if something were to happen. Many people don’t back up their data at all, let alone every few weeks or months. There are several different methods that individuals can use to back up their data:
The cloud: Backing up your data on the cloud means that it’s easily accessible, and takes almost no time to do. Several services such as Google Docs actually already do this for you. One drawback is that this means all of your sensitive information is now online, and while it might be uncommon, sometimes hackers can get access to it.
Physical storage: Making backups on physical storage disks ensures you have all of your information safely in your possession, however, the downside to this option, is that it will probably take longer to do so compared to the cloud option.
4. Keep your video conferences security
With the rapid increase in remote workers, many people are using different types of video conferencing options, the most common being Zoom. Zoom is a great way to keep employees connected, even while remote, but is not immune to vulnerabilities (even at a government level). Knowing how to keep unwanted people out of these rooms is a must for any remote employee.
Make sure that you “lock” the room once everyone in the meeting has joined. Locking the room means that nobody else can enter the meeting, and keeps unwanted guests out of your conference. You can also add passwords to the meeting rooms, and then give them out to whomever you want to be in the meeting. This means that anyone without a password, won’t be able to enter.
Making the transition to remote work can be difficult, but making sure that you data is safe while working from home should be a priority. Using a security connection is important for keeping all your information safe, and knowing what a phishing email looks like and how to deal with it can not only help you but others too. Backing up your data in case of emergencies is a good habit to get into, and making sure nobody crashes your Zoom room can help keep things at work going smoothly.
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