Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses worldwide have shifted to a remote working model to work safely. While some states have started to re-open, allowing some companies to bring their employees back, many are still allowing their employees to safely work remotely for the foreseeable future.
While working from the couch in your PJ’s is a welcome change from our usual commutes up and down the DC beltway, remote work presents its own set of security challenges that are often mitigated in an office environment.
If you find that your company will be working remotely for a while – or even wholly transitioning- here are five helpful tips for protecting your business and employees from the dark web. A result is a place to safely work remotely.
Firstly, invest in reliable antivirus software to protect all company-issued devices.
Many offices have effective IT security measures that protect in-house systems, hardware, and software. That can be challenging to implement when working from home, so install an antivirus security solution to all devices that possess company data. Antivirus software – even free solutions- increasingly reduce the risk of breach.
Secondly, enforce Wi-Fi encryption policies for all employees.
Hackers can access your information through your router. You are making everything you send, share, and log in to your network susceptible to infection. The best and most updated encryption policy is WPA2. It can easily be updated in your router settings and paired with a solid and secure password.
Thirdly, keep all programs and operating systems updated.
It is often second nature for us to ignore notifications to update applications and operating systems. By pushing off these updates, you leave your data vulnerable to attackers. Keeping all programs and using methods with the latest version helps rectify past vulnerabilities.
Fourth, update your router password.
Cyber attackers have continued to sophisticated their schemes by tapping into the routers using many types of malicious programs. Much like the previously mentioned Wi-Fi encryption advice, it is ideal that you update that login and password for your router to a stronger password. Finally, change your passwords every 90 days. Frequent password updates can help to mitigate cyber-attacks and stop intruders.
In conclusion, establish a VPN for public networks.
Sometimes working from home can get monotonous. Seeing the same walls every day forces people to seek a change. That change of scenery often means retreating to local cafes with public Wi-Fi networks. The issue with public Wi-Fi networks is that they lack the most basic levels of security, including passwords. Since remote working is part of the new normal, establishing a VPN for employees helps prevent others from accessing sensitive data. As a result, this happens no matter how insecure the network is.
These are just five simple security steps you can implement now to keep your business, employees and data secure. If you need help managing your remote or office IT services, contact 1R Technologies to consult about our service offerings as a premier Managed Service Provider.