Best Cybersecurity Practices for Remote Workers

Tuesday, 20 June 2023 at 08:56

It is important for business executives to emphasize cybersecurity for remote workers to protect sensitive information. The need to keep our gadgets safe from malicious hackers has increased recently, with more businesses moving toward a remote workforce.

Remote workers have a responsibility to safeguard sensitive information. They can do this by avoiding any actions that could compromise security. In this article, we will review the dangers remote employees face and the measures to keep them safe.

The Major Threats to Remote Business Security

Remote workers are often the first affected when a security breach occurs. Unfortunately, most blame falls on them in case of security breaches in the network that spread rapidly. Yet, mobile devices like laptops and phones are prone to security issues even without remote employees.

The following are significant security risks associated with remote work that companies should be aware of.

Spam Emails to Access Sensitive Data

Hackers use phishing scams to trick victims into divulging personal information, such as login credentials. In 2019, phishing emails resulted in over $3.5 billion in theft from people and organizations. Online players are also victims of this. Cybercriminals may target them as they enjoy the best no deposit bonuses.

Using Weak Passwords

You must create password limitations. Firms neglect this simple step of implementing a system of routine password updates.

The Use of Unsecured Mobile Devices and Wireless Networks

Freelancers, consultants, and partners use unsafe networks and gadgets to do their business. This leaves them open to cyber attacks that are less typical in an office setting.

Poor Recovery and Backup Procedures

A solid backup and recovery strategy protects your company from disaster. You should have remote access to a team of professionals to shift from a reactive to a preventative maintenance mindset.

Attacks via Videos

Zoom-bombing is where hackers take over video conferences to propagate malware. It has become increasingly common, especially when using the software Zoom. Ensure that you're utilizing secure protocols for your video chats.

Without significant cybersecurity threats, some advantages come with remote working employees.

Advantages of Remote Working

Remote employment has positive effects on workers, which include:

● The increasingly flexible work schedules.

● Staff morale and output both go up.

● Minimized disruptions from coworkers.

● Lowering the company's overhead.

● Reduced work hours mean more time to spend with loved ones.

However, the convenience of working from home comes with responsibilities. Employees should safeguard sensitive company information when online.

Safety Security Advice for Remote Employees

Protect Your Home Router

Unfortunately, many people don't bother updating the default passcode on their residence's router. This leaves their network open to attack. Easy ways to prevent unauthorized access to your home network are through:

● Changing the default password for your router and creating strong passwords.

● Upgrading the firmware as soon as patches become available.

Doing so is essential to prevent exploits of known vulnerabilities.

Invest in Home Office Security

Working from home doesn't mean you can ignore physical safety. PCs are easy targets for thieves when left lying around in the garden, the living room, or the home office.

Put your laptop away and close your home office door when you leave to make lunch. Maintain the same level of safety in your home office as you would in any other workplace.

Install a Virus Protection Program

Antivirus software helps ward off malicious software, including:

Viruses
Trojans
Ransomware
Spyware
Rootkits

Defending your computer against viruses is precisely what antivirus software does. It identifies the virus, if present, and then eradicates it from the machine. The finest antivirus programs are preventative and reactive. They can remove existing malware and protect your system from new infections.

Upgrade to the Latest Operating System Version

Some vulnerabilities may remain unpatched for months or even years after discovery. It can be possible despite using a supported operating system. You can mitigate this threat by applying security patches to all connected devices. You can do so through automatic updates.

Most gadgets with an up-to-date operating system automatically install updates. Specific computers may need a restart to apply changes.

Activate Automatic Locking

Always lock your device before leaving it unattended. Whether working from home or in a shared office, ensure it is safe by locking it. As human beings, our problem is that we forget.

When this occurs, automatic locking protects our gadgets while we're away. Configure a timeout that is enough but not excessive. For example:

● For mobile phones, set 30 seconds.

● For desktops, set five minutes.

Today, most smartphones include an automatic locking feature that is always on.

Erase Your Data Before Giving, Selling, or Discarding a Device

You must restore an old gadget to its original settings before lending or selling it. This will ensure that no one can access your information if they gain access to your lost device. Ensure you have a backup or transferred anything of value off the device before disposal.

Encrypt Your Gadgets

Encryption is crucial to minimizing the security risk of lost or stolen devices. It acts as a way of advancing security features. It achieves this by stopping third parties from accessing the gadget's data without:

Biometrics
PIN
Password

You should switch it on if your company hasn't already. Encryption is the method of encoding data so that only the intended recipients can read it. It does not safeguard against interception but intercepts messages unintelligibly.

How you activate encryption will vary by gadget:

● On a macOS machine: Activate FileVault.

● For Windows: Activate BitLocker.

● For Android devices: This feature has been automatically activated since version 6.

● For Linux: Try dm-crypt or a compatible program.

● iOS: Activated by default as of iOS 8.

Upgrade to the Latest Software Version

The operating systems are not the lone target of exploitation. Browsers are a popular target, but any program is vulnerable. Applying the latest software updates is crucial for the reasons mentioned earlier.

These days, most programs will check for and install any necessary security updates. Verifying that you're using the most recent version of the software is crucial.

Install an Authenticator App and Turn on Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication requires the user to provide two different forms of identification. Without this, you cannot gain remote access to a system. With this in place, malware and phishing email infections reduce. An attacker who obtains your password will need the second verification piece to log in.

Someone infringing on your account would need access to your authenticator mobile app. They will also need a security password to get a valid one-time code and login. Passwords are the primary and most used form of authentication. The second can be anything from a simple push notification to a one-time code.

While SMS is helpful in many situations, it is unsuitable for the second part. Cybercriminals have a way of figuring out how to engineer phone companies. They succeed by porting their victims' numbers to new sim cards.

You can use a two-factor authentication app like Duo. Authy and Google Authenticator are two other viable options.

Get Yourself a Password Manager

You should buy one if your employer doesn't offer a password manager. They make it easier to generate and remember complex passwords. They also share those data and login credentials with friends, family, and coworkers.

Additionally, they ease the practice of employing different passwords for every website. This has made it possible to reuse a password without compromising the security of your other accounts. If your password becomes known, your other accounts are safe.

Password managers can keep sensitive data like:

Credit card numbers
Bank account numbers
Private notes

Some even make it simpler to install two-factor or multi-factor authentication.

Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

When linked to a VPN, it's as if your computer or device were directly connected to the private network. It is possible even if it's using the public network. They create a private, encrypted link between your device and a server and redirect your data. By doing so it,

● Protects your data while using public Wi-Fi.

● Permits access to your private data remotely.

Using a VPN can lessen your vulnerability to assaults like man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks. VPNs make it more challenging to track your online activity. They can also:

● Hide your online activities from your ISP.

● Prevent websites from determining your precise location.

How Can Employees Improve Cybersecurity Measures?

Buy Password Management Software for the Whole Company

Refrain from assuming that your staff will buy password managers on their own. You can reduce the likelihood that workers will reuse passwords. You should give them simple tools for establishing and remembering unique passwords.

Utilise Security Metrics to Check Cybersecurity Performance

Security metrics are numbers that show how well an organization is doing at taking steps to lower hacking risks. You can use security measures to check:

A company's compliance with security standards.
Information safety management needs.

You should set up ways to measure how well workers follow information security rules while working remotely.

Make an Investment in Cybersecurity Education

Hackers always seek novel methods to breach security and steal private data. Instruct your employees to:

● Keep their eyes out for malware files and email-based fraud.

● Create strong passwords and use advanced security features.

● Learn to spot a phishing, whaling attack or spear-phishing.

● Apply operational security measures to their public social media profiles and accounts. It will guard against hacking, cyber security risks, and spying on the company.

● Learn to detect threats such as domain name stealing and typosquatting.

● Never trust or install browser plugins created by a company you can't verify.

● Avoid software updates installation. Users should instead use reliable, regularly updated SaaS programs.

Learning about cybersecurity is a continuous process. Keep your eye on to catch up with all updations.

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