Cybersecurity Tips For Remote Workers

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Many people find themselves working from home right now as a result of COVID-19, and for many, this has changed their life for the better. While there are many perks to remote work, it is also important to be aware of the increased threat of cybercrime, as this has skyrocketed during the pandemic. Remote work can create vulnerabilities, so it is important that remote workers know how they can stay safe, protect business and personal data, and combat cybercrime. With this in mind, here are a few cybersecurity tips for remote workers that should come in useful for those working from home.

Don’t Delay Updates

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is delaying updates – it is easier to click “remind me tomorrow” than to have to wait for an update to complete, but you should know that you are actually putting your device and data in danger by delaying these updates. The updates may have security patches that can protect you against the latest threats, so you should always update at the earliest convenience.

Use A Firewall, VPN & Antivirus

It can be hard to know what products you should be using when there is so much information out there. The three basic essentials for cybersecurity are a firewall, VPN, and antivirus, and running these and keeping them up to date will provide robust protection against the latest threats and allow for peace of mind.

Secure Your Home Router

You should always secure your home router, but particularly if you are working from home and need to protect sensitive data. You can secure your home router by changing the router password, making sure that firmware updates are installed, and encryption being set to WPA2 or WPA3. You should also restrict inbound and outbound traffic and switch off WPS.

Use Training To Prevent Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks have been rife during COVID-19 and have become increasingly advanced, which can make it hard even for those that are used to spotting phishing attacks. This is why you need to learn about phishing attacks and use training to help you and any other staff at the business to be able to identify these attacks – click here to find out more.

Back Up Your Data

You must also make sure that you are backing up your data, particularly any important and sensitive business data that you might have on your computer. You can use hardware to back up or cloud backup services, which will ensure that you always have another version of data if any is lost, stolen, corrupted , or deleted, and this can provide important peace of mind. 

There are many perks to remote working that people have been discovering in recent times, but you also need to be wary of the cybercrime threat and address any potential weaknesses to ensure that you can work remotely with confidence. Cybercrime is on the rise, but when you know how to protect your business and personal data, you can avoid attacks and work with confidence each day.