Following the COVID-19 pandemic, various businesses are forced to do remote work. According to a report by the Global Workplace Analytics, up to 30% of the world’s workforce will be working from home several days a week.
Instead of commuting to work, employees now wake up from their homes to clock in, do their usual shift, and then clock out to do personal tasks. Other workers usually try to balance work tasks in between household chores.
Although remote work provides flexibility and convenience, it has its downsides. One of the concerning aspects of working from home is cybersecurity issues that put sensitive data at risk.
Remote Workers Are Not Secure
A study by OpenVPN revealed that 90% of IT experts believe that remote workers do not have the necessary cybersecurity measures in place. Here are some habits you and your coworkers might be making that compromise your organization:
1. Using an unsafe Wi-Fi network
Chances are, you’re working from home using a home wireless connection. Although a PIN is necessary to connect, you might not be using a secure password. Malicious actors that manage to crack your Wi-Fi password can spy on your connection and extract confidential information.
2. Using personal devices for work
Organizations usually implement a Bring Your Own Device policy during remote work because it’s less expensive than buying each employee a work-specific device. However, this can be a disadvantage when you don’t keep your security software up to date. When you encounter a cyberthreat, it could affect both your work and personal files.
Improving Your Security for Remote Work
For employers, creating a sound work-from-home security policy and securing professional services like SIEM platforms protect the business from cyberattacks. In your end, you can ensure the safety of your work files with the following measures:
Multi-factor Authentication
This measure asks you for an additional security check before accessing an account. After keying in your password, the system might ask you to verify through a separate device or enter a one-time pin. With more security layers in place, the little the risk of malicious parties accessing your work systems.
Password Manager
It’s natural to struggle to remember your passwords for multiple accounts. In this case, a password manager can help. It connects your various accounts and stores their passwords so you don’t have to have a hard time remembering which password you used for what account.
VPN
Check with your employer if they can provide a company-wide VPN. A VPN routes the traffic through the internet from your company’s private network. That way, potential attackers can’t intercept your work data or be unable to read it.
Firewall
A firewall prevents unauthorized access to and from your computer network. It monitors network traffic, then blocks potential threats. Various firewall software is free to download, although they offer paid features that boost your security.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced several organizations to remote work. Although working from home offers flexibility, it comes with risks that could put a company’s network—and earnings—in jeopardy. If you’re forced to do remote work, do what you can to ensure your company and personal information is safe and secure.
