More people are working from home than ever before. This flexibility makes it easier for people to balance work with their personal lives, and technology makes it a safe and effective way for many industries to function. With all of the positives surrounding this change, there are still some concerns, such as data security. Having an IT department in the office ensures security, and it is important to understand how you can keep your business data safe when working from home.
The Importance of Data Security in Today’s World
While it benefits employees greatly to have the flexibility of working from home, their Internet connections may not be as secure. In addition, many employees use their personal laptops for work, and some share a computer. It can be difficult to separate work from personal use, but a lack of separation makes remote workers more vulnerable to issues with cybersecurity. However, there are simple ways that they can protect business data and ward off these cyberattacks.
Ways to Keep Business Data Safe at Home
There are a few simple steps that remote employees can take to ensure that their data is protected. Take a look at the following:
1. Use a VPN or Connect to Your Hotspot
Some remote employees don’t limit themselves to working from their actual home; they can work in public spaces as well. As long as you have an Internet connection, you can work. There are quite a few risks that come with using a public Wi-Fi network. The primary risk is that it opens the device to hackers.
When you work in any public location, including other people’s homes, you need to make sure that your connection is secure. Rather than using the public Wi-Fi, use the hotspot on your smartphone. You can also connect to a VPN, which is a virtual private network. VPNs provide security because they direct your connection through a secure server. This hides your activity from hackers while you are working.
2. Make Sure Your Passwords Are Strong and Secure
Using simple passwords is one of the main reasons that people are vulnerable to cyberattacks. It is difficult to remember a complex password without any connection to your personal life, and it becomes more difficult when you don’t use the same password for all of your applications. However, you can use a password manager that is secure and keeps track of your passwords for you.
Your password should be at least eight characters, including upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. You can set up multi-factor authentication to add security, and make sure you change your password regularly. When you store them in a password manager, it is easy to recall them, but it keeps them secure so that your business data is protected.
3. Be Aware of Phishing Scams
Phishing scams have been around for years, but they have become more sophisticated. It is very difficult to tell the difference between a legitimate email and one that is from a hacker. First, make sure that you never click on links in an email or text. You should open a new web browser page and go to the site on your own.
If you receive an email that seems suspicious, make sure that you report it. When you are out in public, look out for shoulder surfers, people who look over your shoulder to steal your information.
4. Separate Your Work Data from Your Personal Data
People often use their devices for both work and personal tasks, but this can lead to security issues with business data. If you use a company laptop, the company may install updates and antivirus software that you don’t have on your personal device. Most of the time, personal devices do not have the level of security that company devices have.
It is also important not to share your device that you use for work with other people, including family members. They may click on an email that exposes your entire laptop to a cyber attack. The best way to keep your business data secure is to stick with your company device for business and use separate laptops, tablets, and smartphones for your personal activity.
5. Participate in Cybersecurity Training
One of the best ways to learn how to protect business data is to participate in cybersecurity training. This type of training teaches employees best practices and informs them about the latest cyber threats. Being armed with understanding of how to protect your business data will ensure that you know what to do when you are working from home.
6. Secure Your Router
Your router is the device that sends the Internet connection to other devices in your home. You can make it more secure by ensuring that it is set up with a password. In addition, check to make sure that its firmware is updated regularly. Don’t give out your Wi-Fi password; you can create a guest account for friends and family who are visiting or need temporary access. By keeping your business data separate, you will make it more secure.
7. Ask for Help
If you aren’t sure how safe your business data is, reach out to your company and ask for help. They can educate you on protocols, and they can explain what steps they expect you to take. Many companies have guidelines for working from home, and it is important to ask them if you don’t understand something. They should be able to help you with setting up a secure router, a VPN, or other security measures.
Final Words
Working from home provides the flexibility that employees want, but it is important to make sure that business data is secure. Most individuals don’t set up the same security measures that businesses have in place. There are steps you can take, such as using a VPN, securing your router, separating home and work use on devices, or educating yourself on cybersecurity, and your employer should be able to help if you have questions.
