BEST PRACTICES – 9 must-do security protocols companies must embrace to stem remote work risks

Technology advancements have made it relatively easy for many employees to carry out their regular job duties from the comfort of their home.

Related: Poll confirms rise of Covid 19-related hacks

This is something companies are under pressure to allow to help minimize the spread of Covid 19. The main problem for remote workers is the threat to online security. Remote workers face having both their personal and work-related information compromised.

As a remote worker, it is imperative to take measures to protect yourself and your employer online. Start by checking to see what security protocols your company has in place. Your employers might be able to provide you with specific directions on how to handle certain aspects of your cybersecurity.

Here are some cybersecurity best practices tips that apply more than ever when it comes to remote workers carrying out their duties securely.

•Use strong passwords. It is essential to ensure that all accounts are protected with strong passwords. To this day, a significant amount of people still use the password across multiple accounts, which makes it much simpler for a cybercriminal to compromise a password and take over accounts. Passwords for accounts should be unique for every account and should compromise a long string of distinct characters, lower and upper case letters, and numbers. It is difficult to remember all passwords. That is where a password manager for business comes in to help keep track of passwords.

•Set-up 2-factor authentication.  Even the most strong password is not enough. If somehow passwords are leaked, a hacker can cause a data breach. Two-factor authentication or two-step verification involves adding a step to add an extra layer of protection to accounts. This extra step could be a text message confirmation or email, a biometric method, such as a fingerprint scan, facial recognition, or something physical, such as a USB fob. A two-factor verification helps in protecting from a cybersecurity breach.

•Use a VPN. Many people use a virtual private network (VPN) to bypass geographic restrictions on streaming sites or other location-specific content. Since a VPN tunnels traffic through a server in a location of your choosing. VPN’s can play another critical role, such as improving online privacy. A VPN encrypts all internet traffic so that it is unreadable to anyone who intercepts it. This keeps your information away from prying eyes, such as internet service providers and hackers.

•Set up firewalls. Firewalls act as a defense line in preventing the possibility of threats entering your system. Firewalls create a barrier between the device and the internet by closing the ports to communication, preventing malicious programs from entering networks, and stopping a potential data breach on your device.

•Use antivirus software. Firewalls help, but threats will inevitably get through. Your devices need excellent antivirus software to act as the next defense line by blocking and detecting known malware. If the malware finds its way onto your device, your antivirus will see it and, in most cases, remove it.

•Secure home router. It’s essential to take simple steps to protect your home internet and change your router’s password to stop your network from being vulnerable.

•Install regular updates. Having to update devices and software can be a minor annoyance, but it is essential to maintenance. Updates for software and devices typically include patches for security vulnerabilities uncovered since the software’s last update was released. You can set updates to run automatically while sleeping, not to be concerned about any downtime.

•Back-up your data. Data and information can easily be lost in many ways, including physical damage to hardware, a cyber attack, or human error. Ransomware or other varieties of malware can wipe entire systems. It is vital to back-up your data. You can keep a data backup on hardware or use a cloud-based service. Having your information backed up where it is easily accessible gives peace of mind.

•Keep an eye out for phishing emails. Hackers use phishing campaigns to “phish” information, which is usually used to further phishing scams, such as credit card fraud or account takeover fraud. Since the number of remote workers has grown since the pandemic, many hackers send phishing emails to steal their personal data and access company accounts. Don’t click on any links that look suspicious, and be aware of what you are opening.

Even if a company doesn’t offer security protocols, there are ways for remote workers to keep themselves, their personal information, and company information safe and secure from cybercriminals.

About the essayist. Daniel J. Nemeth, digital marketing director at Keeper Security, is passionate about digital marketing and loves keeping people safe from cyberthreats. He spent his first paycheck on a large box of bagged Funyuns. 

 

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from The Last Watchdog authored by bacohido. Read the original post at: https://www.lastwatchdog.com/guest-essay-9-must-do-cybersecurity-protocols-companies-must-embrace-to-stem-remote-work-risks/