9 security mistakes people make when working from home
COVID-19 got you working from home? If not, you might be soon. In cities where the virus has spread, local authorities are advising schools and businesses close temporarily to prevent further transmission.
That said, transitioning to working from home from working on-site is a complex task. Crewmember roles need to be adjusted for digital access and protocols must be in place to make sure work doesn’t slip through the cracks. Tap or click to find out how to prepare your business for coronavirus.
But on top of the digital setup, securing your work from home arrangement is just as important. If employees are accessing important work data from home, one compromised connection is enough to affect the entire company. Here are nine work from home security tips to keep in mind — whether a virus is near you or not.
1. Watch out for unusual requests
If quarantine or work from home measures are implemented in your area, you aren’t going to be the only one who knows — hackers will too. As a result, it’s in the best interest of you and your company to be vigilant. Bad actors can and will try to take advantage of the situation.
When working from home, you might receive email requests or phone calls asking for sensitive information like company passwords or user accounts. If you get any requests like these, always make sure to verify it through another channel. Text your boss or a coworker to be 100% sure.
Speaking of your boss, something to watch out for is Voice Cloning. This AI technology can change anyone’s voice into a text-to-speech engine. In other words, it’s Deepfakes for voices. Tap or click here to see the real danger posed by Voice Cloning.
If you get a call from someone who claims to be your boss, but the audio sounds unusual or bizarre, make sure to email your boss for confirmation before handing over any sensitive information. Not only is this good company practice, but it will also alert your boss to any impersonation attempts.
2. Use a VPN to protect important information
If you and other employees are connecting to work-related data from home, that means you’re accessing it through your personal web connection. If that connection is compromised, it means you’re exposing your digital workplace to cybersecurity threats.
To protect your data, use a VPN to secure your connection. VPNs make employee logins more secure and they can prevent any unauthorized traffic from piggybacking on your employees’ connections. Tap or click here to find out why VPNs are so valuable for security.
If you’re looking for a speedy, reliable VPN, our sponsor, ExpressVPN, takes a different approach to setting it all up. All you need to do is download an app and choose a username and password to install the service.
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