As the Coronavirus continues to dominate the news many of us have started working from home in an attempt to slow the spread of this pandemic. Many businesses are embracing working from home to ensure they are able to continue to operate during the lockdown. As a result, more people than ever before are working remotely from their own home.
However, working from home presents a number of new challenges for us to try and overcome. This is especially true when it comes to cybersecurity. Most offices work hard to secure their devices and networks and protect confidential data and it is unlikely that you will have this level of protection while working from home.
This is why it is important that you make an extra effort to protect any confidential information while you are working from home. To help you achieve this goal we have created this list of 8 simple cybersecurity tips for working remotely during the coronavirus lockdown.
1. Protect your device with antivirus software
The first step to protecting yourself from cybercriminals while working remotely is to ensure you have a reliable antivirus solution installed on your computer. This is also a good idea anyway as it protects your own personal data too.
If you are hesitant to invest your own money on a security solution and your place of work is unable to cover the cost, there are a number of reliable and free antivirus solutions available that will help to keep your device protected.
2. Secure your home network
Protecting your computer won’t help you if cybercriminals are able to access your Wi-Fi router. This is why the next step is to secure your home network. Similar to above, this is a wise choice to prevent anyone from accessing your home network.
Ensure your Wi-Fi connection is encrypted with a password. It is also a good idea to reset the default password that your router was provided with, as these are usually very weak. This will stop anyone from accessing your Wi-Fi without your permission.
We also suggest that you set your router encryption to WPA2 or WPA3. This will help to protect your home network and prevent malicious parties from accessing any connected devices.
3. Update programs and operating systems
Many of the applications and programs on your computer have small vulnerabilities that can be exploited to infiltrate your devices. Thankfully, these vulnerabilities are often patched in the updates that are released regularly. Which is why it is important that you install any updates on your device as soon as they become available.
Cybercriminals depend on users not installing these updates so they can take advantage of these vulnerabilities. By updating your software regularly it is less likely that anyone will be able to exploit those vulnerabilities to access your devices.
4. Make use of a secure cloud network
While you are working from home you will likely be using a laptop or home computer. Unlike your office computer, these devices won't be secured to the same standard your IT department would prefer.
This is why it is a sensible precaution to store all work-related documents on a cloud-based storage service that has been verified by your company’s IT department.
5. Use a VPN when connecting to a public network
Under lockdown, it is unlikely that you will be using a public network, such as one found at a coffee shop. However, this is a handy tip for the future. Public Wi-Fi networks are rarely encrypted which could allow other users to spy on you through the network. Using a VPN provides an additional layer of security which encrypts all of your personal data.
In addition, while you are working remotely it is a good idea to use a VPN to protect any documents or data that is moved from the office network to your device or vice-versa. A VPN hides the user’s IP address, encrypts data transfers while in transit and masks the user’s location.
6. Use encrypted communications
Communication between you and the rest of your team is going to be more important than ever during remote working and it is likely that these communications will include confidential information.
This is why it is important that you make use of encrypted communications while you are working remotely. Most businesses or organisations already have a secure method of communication, such as your corporate email.
7. Invest in basic cybersecurity training
Majority of data breaches that occur are the result of poor cybersecurity training amongst staff. This is why it is always a good idea to invest in basic cybersecurity training for your staff and doubly important while working remotely.
Coronavirus related scams and phishing attacks are already on the rise and it is essential that your staff know how to spot and react to a phishing email or a social engineer. A small bit of training now can help save a lot more time and effort after an attack has occurred.
8. Always lock your device when you leave your desk
Locking your device whenever you leave your desk is a best security practice regardless of where you are working. If you leave your device open and unattended anyone can see and access what’s on your screen, such as a private work email or confidential work documents.
Even while you are working from home it is a good idea to continue the habit, if only to prevent your cat from sending an unfinished email to a client or a curious child deleting 2 days worth of work by mistake. In addition, it should go without saying that your device should be password protected.
In summary
The Coronavirus lockdown is a new challenge for many of us but it is important to remember that there are some unscrupulous characters out there who won’t hesitate to take advantage of the confusion to target you with a cyber attack.
However, with these basic cybersecurity tips, you can help to protect your device and any confidential work information on it from cybercriminals. Which will hopefully, make working from home that much easier.
