Working from Home? Ensure Your Information Is Secured

With the growing number of offices making the switch work from home recently, there’s a viable need to access sensitive company information remotely. Whether it be file sharing, working on client projects or simply internal communications, employees need the ability to do their work freely as if they were at the actual office.

But exchanging confidential information can be tricky when staff are all connected to different Wi-Fi connections, and security breaches are becoming more and more common due to the “new normal” of remote work. Since this adaptation to the current state of the world was swift, some businesses rushed into things without setting up proper security measures, creating big gaps in cybersecurity worldwide.

This news is heavenly for hackers, who are on the hunt for new ways to steal information. Luckily, there are ways to protect yourself, your staff and your company from sinister attacks. Read on for some sure-fire ways to secure sensitive information. 

Antivirus Software

One of the top ways to ensure devices are protected from predators is to install antivirus software. Using both preventative and reactive technology, antivirus and malware software from a trusted company like Malwarebytes will assist in blocking out harmful hackers. These days, there’s a variety of nasty malware to watch out for, especially on work computers that contain sensitive information. Quality software will prevent attacks such as:

• Phishing: A kind of spoofing attack aimed at getting access to login credentials, banking information or other valuable information. These are common with businesses and many data breaches begin with a phishing attack.
• Spyware: This type of malware secretly observes the computer’s activity, reporting it to the person behind the spyware.
• Ransomware: This form of malware locks the user out of their device and/or encrypts files, then forces them to pay a ransom in order to gain access again.

These are just a few examples of attacks that can occur without proper protection.

Provide VPN Access

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, works using encryption technology to recreate the security of a private network. This means that no matter where you or your staff are (even if connected to public Wi-Fi), it’s possible to securely access the Internet. In addition, a VPN also connects devices that aren’t in the same location, enabling safe data sharing.

Since people can work remotely now more than ever before, this also means employees could be working from various locations outside of their own home. But with a VPN in use, it’s possible to access even restricted content safely while traveling abroad. Now the “office” can truly be anywhere.

Educate Your Employees

Beyond installing preventative software, there are also a few best practices that business workers should know about when working from home, or anywhere else. These include:

• Never open links from unknown senders via email or text
• Be suspicious of messaging that asks for the disclosure of sensitive information
• Don’t install third party apps unless verified by the company

Even the most basic security knowledge can help prevent data breaches. In the event that your staff does notice alarming behavior, they should know who to contact, too.