5 Cybersecurity Measures For Remote Workers

Remote work is here to stay, and more companies are embracing it.

Working from home offers flexibility to your employees and ensures a work-life balance. You can also source talents from around the world and embrace diversity and inclusivity. While there are many positive benefits when working remotely, there are some downsides when it comes to cybersecurity.

Here are five cybersecurity tips to ensure your remote team doesn’t get compromised.

Use antivirus software

Antivirus software is essential for scanning your computer system and fishing out malicious viruses. Once you install the package, it is crucial to scan your computer periodically to ensure everything is ok. Most software can be configured to automatically scan specific directories or files. You can also do this manually. For instance, if you receive a suspicious file in an email attachment or a web download, you can perform a manual examination before you open it. Sometimes, the software will provide a dialog box to alert you about the virus it has detected and ask you to remove or clean it. Certain software might delete it without asking you. While there may be various types on the market, choosing the right one is important. As a tip, make your selection based on recommendation, price or the features you seek.

Limit access to company devices

Access control outside the office is critical. With your staff using company devices at home, it is important to ensure that no one has access to it except you and them. That said, encourage your team to lock theirs securely with a strong password. By limiting access, you can reduce the risk of having confidential information leaked or data breached. Consider physical security as well. You also want to inform them to lock their devices if they need to step out, and they have roommates. Adequate training on this issue can make all the difference, so feel free to consider this.

Use a VPN

In a remote working environment, a VPN helps to encrypt your data or connection and ensures your browsing data is protected from cybercriminals. Sometimes, you can switch your scenery and work in a coffee shop or a cafe. If you decide to use their WiFi, a VPN will safeguard your internet traffic through encryption from snoopers who might try to access your device. Before you select a VPN, you will need to confirm if it works in your country. A quick call to the customer service personnel can give you that information. Also, you need to figure out if it offers browser extensions or apps for your OS or device. For instance, you can download VPN for windows and other operating systems like MAC or Linux if your devices are from these brands.

Backup your data

Losing important data can cost you a lot of time and cost your company a lot of money and inconvenience. It is advisable to keep data separately and continuously updated—endeavor to keep a physical and cloud backup in case of any emergency or attack. With physical backups, you keep your data on a portable hard drive and update it regularly depending on how much you work with. Cloud backups depend on storage you can access remotely from anywhere. You can share this access with your team. Between the two types of backups, the risk of data loss when using cloud storage is far less than the physical drives which can be destroyed or stolen. It would be best to invest in a highly secure cloud storage service, so feel free to consider this.

 

Avoid oversharing screen

Online meetings are quite common when working remotely. You spend a lot of time updating your team on your progress and devising strategies for productive work. This means there will be a need to share your screen so they can see a presentation or chart. However, this can pose a security or privacy issue. While sharing, you could accidentally display personal information and jeopardize your security. You can also share certain data from your department, which might be top secret. Before you go into a virtual meeting, consider closing all unnecessary tabs and review the content you are going to share carefully. While at it, encourage your team to do the same. If you are using multiple screens, ensure you use privacy filters and share the intended screen.

Cybersecurity in the workspace is vital, and with these tips, you can guarantee that your company and the data you receive are shielded from costly attacks.