When working from home, it is important to understand that you are more susceptible to cyber-attacks. As the outbreak continues, more and more organizations are recommending, and perhaps even mandating remote work.
As a result, employees everywhere are having to rapidly adjust to virtual meetings, chatting, and many other forms of online/remote collaboration. This can be a challenge, as many organizations lack the proper cyber-security policies and practices for secure remote work.
Consequently, you should familiarize yourself with any and all cyber-security practices in order to best defend yourself. Here, we have identified three core risks you should be aware of.
- Social Engineering: Social Engineering is a form of psychological warfare, where bad actors trick or fool their victims into making a mistake, potentially revealing confidential information. This method of attack is made easier during a time of change and confusion. For instance, phishing emails always appear genuine but are one of the most common, malicious and unfortunately successful lines of attack.
- Strong Passwords: Weak passwords continue to be one of the primary drivers for breaches on a global scale. It is vital to create a strong and memorable password for important accounts. Make sure all your accounts use unique and sophisticated passwords. Use Multi-factor Authentication when available to truly secure all accounts. MFA is when you need both a password and code sent to or generated by your mobile device.
- Updated Systems: Ensure employees use the latest version of the operating system, applications, or mobile apps. Don’t ignore software updates, out of date means unsecured!
In addition, Wi-Fi plays an important role when working from home. Securing your Wi-Fi access point is paramount. The most effective steps you can take to secure your wireless networks at home are to change the default admin password, enable a WPA2 encryption and use a new, strong password for your wireless network.
When working remotely, it is crucial to continue your typical cybersecurity best practices and reach out to us with any questions or concerns.
