Remote work poses a distinct challenge for information security as remote work environments often lack the same safeguards as office settings. When employees are at the office, they benefit from layers of preventive security controls, making it more difficult to make security errors. However, when computers and people venture outside the office perimeter for remote work, new risks emerge, necessitating additional security policies for the company. Here are tips for remote employees to help you stay safe at home or at work, in a work environment, or while surfing for personal use.
Top Cybersecurity Practices For Work Remotely
1. Create Security Policies For Work From Home
While advanced technologies and policies certainly play a role, it’s important to acknowledge that employees themselves can pose a significant security risk to the business. Implementing work-from-home and remote work policies that outline guidelines for computer and internet use can help mitigate these risks, and these policies can be reinforced through technical and administrative controls.
To ensure the safe handling of corporate devices and information regardless of location, it’s crucial to prioritize security awareness among employees. CISOs and IT managers can easily incorporate these work-from-home security strategies into official employee and cybersecurity policies.
Important! One of the key cybersecurity practices for remote workers is the use of a VPN. Only here some employees ignore it for one simple reason – VPN can slow down the internet. In reality, everything depends on VPN performance and there are quite powerful providers that provide high Internet speed. For example, many VeePN servers do not slow down the Internet at all. Those servers that are physically located far away can slow down the speed, but in real operation, this is practically not felt. Plus, the user always has a choice of 2500+ VPN servers, so finding the perfect one is not a big problem.
2. Password Managers
Many companies offer their employees access to password managers, which not only help maintain the security of sensitive data but also assist in generating stronger passwords. As a remote employee, if your employer hasn’t provided one, you can consider purchasing a password manager to ensure cyber security. Password managers play a vital role, especially in case of data breaches, by safeguarding saved passwords and information. Additionally, password managers protect against unwittingly sharing data on websites and secure online credit card transactions. They can also serve as a backup layer for multi-factor authentication, a crucial security measure for remote workers.
3. Awareness And Auditing
Being aware of cyber security is crucial in preventing data breaches and financial loss. As a remote worker, it’s important to stay updated on the latest phishing attacks employed by hackers. Exercise caution when dealing with emails, calls, and shared links. Don’t fall prey to identity theft; hackers often impersonate banks or financial institutions to obtain sensitive information. Avoid downloading software from untrusted sources and steer clear of suspicious browser add-ons or software sent via email. It’s also advisable to familiarize yourself with domain hijacking, especially if you work through your company’s website. Discuss webpage security with your employer for added protection.
4. Avoid Public Wi-Fi
Using public Wi-Fi carries a considerable security risk, so it’s best to avoid it if possible. If you find yourself needing to connect to the internet in a public Wi-Fi spot, you’ll encounter two main issues. First, since others have access to the same network, there’s a chance that malicious individuals could target your computer without any protective barriers. Second, any interested parties on the current network, or other public networks your data passes through, can monitor your traffic.
If you need Internet in a cafe, try distributing it from your mobile phone. To save traffic, you can install the VPN extension Chrome free and then securely connect to public Wi-Fi. Since a VPN encrypts traffic, the risks of data interception are not as relevant. Even if it falls into the wrong hands, the data will be unusable.
5. Cyber Hygiene
Remote workers should prioritize cyber hygiene as part of their daily work routine. This includes running regular virus scans, securely saving and backing up important data, reviewing suspicious log-in attempts, isolating infected files, staying vigilant against new cyber threats, and monitoring email correspondence. If you suspect any security risks or hacking attempts, it’s crucial to immediately notify your employer or manager. Proactively involving the IT team can help prevent and address potential attacks more effectively.
Conclusion
Remote work – high risks for the organization and its data. Without proper safeguards, these vulnerabilities will be used against you. It’s just a matter of time. A wise leader will not wait until he is on the list of victims but will take protective measures. Prevention is always better than cure. This concept is applicable to cybersecurity.
