Companies of all sizes are under attack these days. Meanwhile, modern organizations are now paying attention to remote work as they start to hire new talent and develop business continuity plans. One perfect example of business continuity happened during the spring of 2020 when firms all over the globe sent countless information workers to work from home in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Remote work poses a unique challenge for information security since remote work environments do not usually have the same computer security as in the office. If an employee is at the office, they are doing their work behind the preventive security controls of the company. Although not perfect, it is more difficult to make security mistake when working at the office. But, when computers leave the area and employees work at home, new risks come up for the firm and more security policies are important.
Here are a few of the policy guidelines we recommend when you or your staff are working outside the office.
Digital Security For Remote Work
- If possible, don’t Use Public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi poses significant security risk and must be avoided when possible. When you require access to the internet using a public Wi-Fi location, you need to solve two important problems. The first one is that other individuals can also access the network. Since there is no firewall between you and them, cybercriminals could easily get into your system. The next issue is that interested individuals on any other public networks or the current network you’re in can easily monitor the traffic while it goes by. It’s essential to look for a way to protect your computer and encrypt your traffic. Using a personal hotspot using a device or your phone is one perfect option. You’ll avoid getting hacked by those who are using the same public Wi-FI.
- Keep Your Work Data On Your Work Computer
Are you thinking of answering a few emails at home before going to bed? You can do remote work Wilmington NC provided that you have a secure Wi-Fi connection, encrypted drives, an anti-virus program, and an endpoint protection. If your work computer is out of reach, you might be tempted to use your personal computer. Doing so will put you and your company at risk. If you are working with a reliable IT team, they might be installing updates regularly, blocking malicious websites, running antivirus scans, and more. It’s probable that you have not adhered to the same protocols on your personal computer as that of a work computer. You can make using your personal computer much less risky if your employer provides you with access to a remote access environment like Office 365. You could safely work online and avoid syncing or downloading files or emails to your personal device.
- Block The Sight Lines
If you are at café or a coffee shop, pay close attention to the sight lines. If somebody is behind you, they could easily see what you are typing. Also, somebody with the appropriate observational skills could just watch you’re doing and find sensitive details. Always keep your personal devices with you.
- Encrypt Emails and Other Sensitive Data On Your Device
Sending emails that contains sensitive information will always be a risk. It can be seen or intercepted by a third party. If you encrypt the data that’s attached to your email, unintended recipients won’t be able to view the information. Just make sure that your device will encrypt all stored data in case of theft.
Physical Security For Remote Work
- Lock your doors – if you are bringing your work computer at home, you have to protect confidential information. Always lock your doors and improve the security of your home office.
- Don’t Leave Your Work Laptop or Device In The Car – never leave your work device or laptop in your car. Don’t leave them in your trunk. Bring your devices with you to avoid any cybersecurity risks.
- Never Use Random Thumb Devices – dropping a few large capacity thumb drives close to the company is a classic hacking technique that hackers use.
- Use USB Data Blockers– this tip is extremely important especially if you are charging your device at a public charging station.
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