We all need to take a level of responsibility for our cyber security when working remotely and how to protect our homes, small office networks, and the organisations we work for. It looks like for the foreseeable many of us will have to work from home, so I thought as we are still in Cyber Awareness Month, here is a reminder of best practices: –
- Protect your data – Be mindful of what data you share and with who, watch those emails and keep IT informed when you need to delete or move any sensitive information/data.
- Avoid pop-ups, unknown emails & links – Be aware of Phishing activity and ask about email authentication software/technology.
- Strong password protection and authentication – Consider 10-character passwords with a mixture of letters, numbers & symbols. For remembering, try a Password Manager (click and see a recent article on industry offerings)
- Connect to secure Wi-Fi and use a VPN: Try ExpressVPN or Norton VPN – I prefer Express VPN as they have a lot more virtual servers and locations to choose from.
- Install security software updates and back up your files – Strong Antivirus & Malware Protection on all your devices.
- Talk to your IT department – Ask about Firewall Software and watch for false tech support emails as scammers are very clever.
- Employ third-party controls – Restrict Access to Certain Sensitive Data and follow your Company Rules to ensure no breaches.
- Embrace education and training – Follow an Acceptable Electronic Use (AEU) policy or check if your IT equipment meets the requirements to access Company Data etc.
Just a little bit of knowledge and care will help you and your company to avoid breaches and remember – think before you click. If you have any concerns, reach out to your IT department – believe me they would want to prevent a breach, rather than have to cure it.