Do you work remotely? Did you know that it is your responsibility to protect yourself while doing so? Remote working is becoming a practical option for many organizations and businesses today. But, there are network risks, and YOU need to manage them. Below, we are going to take a look at protecting your PC while working remotely in further depth, as well as providing some examples of where people go wrong.
Let’s take a look at an example scenario...
Your network at home is secure. Your work network is also secure. So, you assume there is nothing to worry about. However, when you were traveling, you connected to a network, and this was untrustworthy. Hackers gained a way into your system, and just like that, crucial company data was compromised.
What could you have done differently? There are many simple security measures that need to be taken to secure a device.
These include…
- Using an approved computer, with protection in place. You can contact LifeLock for more information about this.
- Updating your computer regularly.
- Watching out for phishing attacks.
- Fully encrypting your laptop.
- Separating personal and business items.
- Locking your device and using a strong password.
- Using social networks responsibly.
And, if something does go wrong, make sure you inform your IT services apartment immediately, so the issue does not get out of hand.
You really need to be extra cautious when using public Wi-Fi
If using public Wi-Fi access, you must be very careful. You have no way of knowing if these networks can be trusted. This is why all online activity must be encrypted beforehand. And, never connect to your organization’s network through a public computer. If you do this, you are simply asking for trouble.
But what about the risk of something being stolen physically while working remotely?
Physical crime is yet another risk. We’re going to use another scenario to help you understand this in further detail.
While on the way to a meeting, you make a quick stop at a newsagent for a bottle of water. You leave your laptop in the car. You are only going to be a minute after all. But this minute was enough time for criminals to smash the car window and grab the valuable laptop.
You learned the hard way that you should never leave your devices where people can see them. Since then, you have also invested in a cable lock. These are two ways to protect yourself from the threat of having your devices stolen while working remotely.
If your device has been stolen… or you have lost it… you MUST report this immediately. Ignoring the issue will only make it worse.
So, while remote working may be practical, it requires responsible use. You need to protect yourself, and you need to start today. Hopefully, the information that has been provided in this blog post will help you to understand the different steps that you need to take when protecting your PC during remote work.
