Remote work and freelancing have become a very popular way to work over the past few years, and have burst in popularity due to the recent pandemic the world is recovering from. So it’s no surprise if you are searching for work that can be done from home or remote locations.
While the ability to work from your home or work from anywhere is an amazing thing that the internet has allowed you to do, it can also be dangerous thanks to the malicious nature of some individuals. Not just dangerous to yourself, but it could also be threatening to the company you work for, your clients, or your home.
Due to this, security should be a prime priority for you. Here are six cybersecurity tips for remote workers!
Make secure and strong passwords
The first wall against anyone trying to get into your accounts and the most basic of the security measures is your password. Most websites with accounts have started making it a priority to have a decently strong password consisting of letters, numbers, and special characters, while also making sure it is not related to your name, account name, or email.
While these basic security measures taken by websites are great, you should also do whatever you can to increase the strength of your password. You could use certain numbers or special characters as letters, so that way no one understands what it would mean, and be sure to make sure it doesn’t easily relate to you, otherwise anyone could guess the password.
Separate work from play
While some may not be too interested or used to working with computers, many more would be connected or use technology outside of work. With that in mind, you should do your best to keep your work devices and work time away from your playtime. What that means is, you should be using your work devices to access your normal emails or watch YouTube and Netflix.
Separating your worktime from playtime by not accessing these will ensure that your device is solely for work, meaning no one can get through one of your lesser important accounts and find a way through to your important work documents.
It might seem impossible, but skilled individuals can find ways to hack through one account that is only for Netflix and somehow get to your work email and account if you are using them both on the same device.
Use a great VPN service
With the rising fear of your data being public and certain companies taking data from anyone or everyone, the use of VPNs (virtual private networks) has become increasingly popular. A VPN is a software or application that is developed with the sole purpose of guarding your internet and data from outside sources, by creating a private network and changing your IP so it’s more difficult to track.
VPNs are often already installed on work devices, as each work device that uses the internet or its cloud has its network for its protection. But if you are using your device you should look into finding a great VPN. There are many different developers that are free or offer a trial, so consult a list of VPN providers and find one that is perfect for you!
Get as secure as possible
Passwords and VPNs are great steps and ways to protect your data and information from being seen or stolen by outside forces, especially if your working on work documents. But you should consider taking many steps to get your work device to be as secure as possible. Of course, using the device just for work is a major step too, but you should also look into two-factor authentication.
Two-factor authentication is the act of when your logging into your account on the same or different device, you will be prompted either via email, text, or a button on a device to verify that it is you who is committing the act. If it is not you, you can easily hit deny access, and it would block that device from accessing your account or information. While it may be a hassle, it is an extra security measure that will help prevent others from getting into your accounts.
Find a trusted anti-virus software provider
Sometimes ads on a website you visit for work, or an email you open from a random location that you think is a client or work-related could release some malicious software onto your device causing it to get a virus. This virus could be something as simple as putting malware on your device to place ads all over, to being some dangerous that seeks to steal all your data and destroy your files without letting you act to stop it.
To prevent this, you can find anti-virus software that seeks to stop the malicious software before it can get into your device and root without you knowing. Some of this anti-virus software can even stop you from opening an untrusted site or email by scanning what it will hold. This means it can prevent you from even giving the virus a chance to get to you, which is extremely helpful for remote workers.
Most anti-virus software has to be paid for to get the full use out of them, but certain ones offer a free version or free trial that will give you the minimal use of at least combating the malware. Look for reviews and expert guides to help you narrow the choices and find a software program for your needs.
Find ways to encrypt your work devices
Encryption is a way of formatting or changing information and data stored on a device so that it is harder to open or use without the proper application or decrypting software. This can be found when you have to be on a work device to open emails or use certain applications that you can’t find or have on a standard device at home.
Encryption is an extra step taken to enhance the security of the data rather than accounts that hold the information. This is the last precaution so that if a device or account does get attacked, at least the information will be protected unless the hacker has a way to get into this data.
Working from home with utmost security
Working from home or from remote locations to where you don’t have to be at the workplace is a great opportunity that is becoming increasingly popular over the years. While it’s great and would be better if there were no ill intentions by others, your security and data can be threatened when working on devices that are not protected properly.
To ensure the protection of important work-related information or data, you should invest in ways to protect your account, emails, information, and data. You could do this with simple ways such as increasing the strength and security of your password, using only one device solely for work, finding great anti-virus and VPN services or software, and just increasing security in any way you can.
Photographs by PXfuel / Stefan Coders / Comparitech / Flickr