internet safety

Transitioning to working from home from working on-site is a complex task. While working in the office there are multiple firewalls and security measures implemented by qualified IT Teams, Working from homes can be totally opposite. Employees need to be adjusted for digital access and protocols must be in place to ensure work doesn’t slip through the cracks. Securing your work from home arrangement is just as important.

If employees are accessing important work data from home, one compromised connection is enough to affect the entire company. Here are some points you need to keep in mind so that both you and the company stay protected.

  1. Secured WIFI

WIFI is a great way to be connected to the internet, it removes the hassles associated with wires and connectors. But keeping your WIFI unsecured it recipe to disaster. Always secured your WIFI connection, set difficult passwords. Keep changing the password regularly. Never access critical data from public WIFI.  

  1. Anti-Virus Software

Some people think having anti-virus software is a waste as long as your careful and It slows down your computer. The truth is, anti-virus software is a must for almost everyone. Yes, they will slow down your computer a little, but that is a pill worth swallowing as opposed to being infected by a virus. You don’t need to spend any money on it either.  

  1. Update programs and Operating Systems

New vulnerabilities are forever being found in applications and operating systems. Cybercriminals are always on the lookout to exploit them to infiltrate other people’s devices. Often, they rely on people being too lazy to update software, because in the latest versions of programs vulnerabilities are usually patched. So it’s important to regularly update everything installed on any device that you use for work purposes.

  1. Sharing Sensitive Information 

When working from home, you might receive email requests or phone calls asking for sensitive information like company passwords or user accounts. If you get any requests like these, always make sure to verify it through another channel. Text your boss or a coworker to be 100% sure.

  1. Logging Out

Staying logged in to your work accounts is enough of a security risk on its own, and this goes double for work from home situations. If you leave sensitive information on your computer open and walk away. If a younger sibling or child were to open some risky online games on your computer, your work information would be exposed to all kinds of online threats. Always double-check you’ve closed everything and log out.

  1. Always Send Encrypted Files

Working from home required extensive sharing of data between coworkers. If you plan on sending files to coworkers, you want to avoid using plain attachments via email. Plain files sent on the internet can makes them a high-priority target for an interception.

  1. MOST IMPORTANT : Beware of Phishing
    Cybercriminals like to target people via email, It’s one of the easiest ways to do it! Between malicious attachments and overly-trusting users, reckless email use is a goldmine for hackers.

And with more businesses turning to work-from-home options, expect the email attacks and phishing to only get worse. As always, be highly skeptical about any emails you receive. Don’t open attachments you’re not 100% sure about and avoid replying to senders you don’t recognize. If you want to be certain about the validity of an email or file attachment, make sure to ask your manager or another colleague their thoughts. This will have the added benefit of making the rest of your crew aware of security threats.

  1. Secure Online Storage 

Data is critical for an Organisation, Data lost due to the negligence of employees or Ransomeware attacks can lead to business closure.  It would also be a good idea to create additional cloud storage for store critical data in a secure cloud. Companies like IndSoft Systems offers excellent secured storage on cloud. (Get in touch with https://IndSoft.Net at mktg@indsoft.net to start cloud backup solution)

9. Password Protect Video Calls
Work from Home increased the usage of Video Conferencing software like zoom, with it came to a new threat of call hijacking, data theft, etc. Always make sure that your service uses both a meeting ID number and a separate password or PIN. If the service lets you create a password for the meeting, use password creation best practices — use a random string of numbers, letters, and symbols; don’t create an easily guessable password like “123456.”Always follow password protection for video calls and video communication 

Those working on more crucial projects or applications like BFSI segment can further enhance security by deploying different connections for Office and Home Work, Having separate logins for PC/Laptop for unofficial/home and office work. Other Work From Home security precautions may not be all that different from those you should be practicing in the office, but they are easy to be overlooked when you are working from your homes. Not every organization was prepared for this scenario, so it’s only natural that some may not have the level of preparedness in place that others do. Ask for directions if anything is unclear. Though all those working from home might not be targeted, But as the old saying goes, ““A stitch in time saves nine””.

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