Cyber Security Awareness Month
Protect Your Work-From-Home
The 2021 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report identified that 85% of data breaches involve an element of human error, and attackers delivered 94% of malware via email, shedding light on. Since home networks are usually less secure than corporate ones, cybercriminals are eager to exploit these weaknesses and vulnerabilities to gain initial access. Once inside they can use different tactics and techniques to pivot attack vectors (malware, phishing, etc.) from your internet-connected home devices to your corporate ones, or vice versa, leaving employees working from home at a higher risk of cyber-attack.
As October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, here are eight work-from-home security practices to safeguard your home and strengthen your defenses against cybercriminals:
1. Secure Your Home Wi-Fi Network
Change the factory-set default password and usernames on your home Wi-Fi device. If possible, enable other controls, such as MAC filtering.
2. Add a Layer of Security
Consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) for business communications, this will encrypt all internet traffic from and to the device, securing the data that is being transmitted.
3. Enable Stronger Authentication
Multifactor authentication will add an extra layer of security to access your accounts and devices (yes, even social media accounts). It can help prevent unauthorized access, even if the password was compromised; for example, you can use a password and a biometric such as a fingerprint or facial recognition to be granted access.
4. Secure Your Devices
Run updates and patches on your device and stay current with your software and hardware to help prevent attackers from exploiting security vulnerabilities. Additionally, enable firewalls to block malicious traffic and anti-virus software to scan files for potentially unwanted software (malware).
5. Keep Devices in Your Sight
Don’t leave your work devices unattended when you’re working in a public location and report a lost or stolen device immediately to your IT help desk.
6. Be Vigilant of Your Surroundings
Check your surroundings and be aware of anyone who might be listening to your phone/video call or looking over your shoulder as you enter your password or sensitive information on your work device. Limit the amount of personal information you share online. Disable geotagging features that let people online know where you are and where you’ve been. Limit your social media networks to the people you know in real life and set your privacy preferences to the strictest settings.
7. Limit Shared Data
Separate work and personal data, when talking about personal data use, limit the amount of information you share online. . Consider disabling geotagging features that let people online know where you are and where you’ve been. When using social media networks, be mindful of setting your privacy preferences to the strictest settings.
8. Privacy Matters
Be sure to read and understand the terms and conditions of websites before accessing them or downloading apps. Check the reputation of website owners or app vendors, or creators. Take time to understand the privacy and security settings of websites, devices, and applications before sharing access to your location and personal information. If you need a new application or software to be added to your work device, please follow internal IT procedures to request them, and don’t install them yourself.
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