The COVID-19 pandemic is creating a new reality as we begin to conduct business from home, at least temporarily. As we all get used to working from home, remote work brings with it some security challenges.
Cybercriminals are wasting no time when it comes to taking advantage of the coronavirus, as shown by recent healthcare agency breaches. That’s why it’s more important than ever before that your employees are prepared to prevent any potential incidents.
Here are some cybersecurity best practices to consider for remote workers working from home during these uncertain times.
- Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) – A VPN not only protects your privacy, but it can also protect any of your traffic from being intercepted and compromised by a hacker. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic to ensure that your company data is kept secure.
- Use Good Password Management – A secure password is a key element in cybersecurity that’s often overlooked. All it takes is a single compromised password and a hacker can gain access to your accounts and the corporate network. When working from home, have employees use a password management tool to generate strong unique passwords.
- Use Two-Factor Authentication – Having a strong password is a good start. Two-factor authentication or 2FA, adds an additional layer of protection and can validate employee IDs more effectively. Make this extra step a unique code sent via text or email. 2FA is not hacker-proof, but it does add an extra layer of security.
- Update Anti-Virus Software – Microsoft Defender does provide decent protection for Windows systems, but it’s not enough. Remote workers should install robust anti-virus software and perform frequent, regular scans to keep their system malware-free.
- Keep Software Updated! – While some of us are annoyed by the downtime updating software can cause, updates are crucial to your security and should be maintained especially when working from home. If your devices are unprotected and connecting to the corporate network, you are putting its security and confidential information at risk.
As we all adjust to the new reality of remote work, be aware of the potential risks. Remote work comes with a unique set of security challenges. Adapt these cybersecurity best practices to keep your computer, company, and network safe during this unique time. If you’d like to learn more give us a call – we’re ready to help!
