4 Ways to Stay Safe at Work While Working Remotely
To protect your work as you go remote, follow these tips from tech expert Burton Kelso.
Raise awareness
As more people work from home, they may be exposed to viruses and other online dangers that may not threaten their physical health but could put their business at risk. Individuals without the support of an IT team may be more vulnerable to scams.
To protect your business, follow these tips from tech expert Burton Kelso.
Ensure strong internet and wifi connection
Download speeds below 30 mbps can cause problems accessing your office's virtual private network, cloud storage services, or video conferencing calls. To boost your home wifi speed, consider add-ons like Google's "mesh" WiFi router system, which can blanket an area with a stronger signal, or TP-Link's Powerline adapter system, which turns the wiring inside your walls into an Ethernet network. When working remotely, use your phone as a mobile hotspot if your plan allows it. Whenever you have to log on to free, unsecured public wifi, turn on a VPN service, like TunnelBear or NordVPN, to keep your data more secure.
Set up automatic data backup
Use a cloud-based product to protect your business from data loss, using companies like Carbonite or BackBlaze. For Apple devices, you can use iCloud. Google Drive and Google Photos provide cloud services for PCs, Android and Apple devices.
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Beware of scams
Most cybersecurity attacks require user interaction—that is, you have to click on a phishing link. In a remote work environment, it’s harder to rely on your IT department’s security net. Phishing scams, in which malicious URLs are disguised as benign text, are the most common type of attack.
Usepasswordstrong
Consider using passphrases for your passwords. Passphrases are unrelated words that you string together to create a password (for example, "YellowOctopus" or "StuffyTar"). Add numbers and special characters to make them stronger. Avoid weak passwords that relate to your personal life, and don't reuse passwords or passphrases across different accounts. Use a password manager, such as LastPass, to keep track of your passwords. Set up two-factor authentication for your accounts whenever possible. Change your passwords immediately if you suspect a breach./.
