The 2020 coronavirus pandemic has brought about a surge in remote workers, with nearly half (46.6%) of employed people working some of the time at home (according to the Office for National Statistics/ONS).
With so many of the UK workforce operating remotely, it’s important to ensure that their data is kept safe. While many may enjoy the comforts of working from home, there are a few potential risks that can come with this style of working that staff must be made aware of.
Below is a list with some tops tips in how remote workers can keep their data safe and secure when working from home:
Be Aware of Unattended Laptops
While working from home may make you feel more comfortable and secure, it’s important not to push this too far by leaving work laptops/computers with sensitive data unattended.
In doing this, you could be leaving private information related to your work out in the open for everyone in your household to see – which could bring up numerous confidentiality issues and potentially get you in a lot of trouble if found out.
To help prevent this from happening, it can help to make sure all devices which contain sensitive company data are kept safe and secure. This means locking your work devices after use and storing them in a secure and discrete location.
Additionally, keeping all devices with sensitive data on them password protected can go a long way improving your security whilst working from home. It’s good to come up with passwords that aren’t predictable – meaning “Password” or “1234” are very much out of the question!
Focus on Network Security
COVID-19 has brought about a number of different challenges, including an increase in cyberattacks, with criminals trying to take advantage of people these trying times.
During such a time of increased cybercrime, it’s important to keep your network secure. There are a number of different companies, including Jumpsec (a leading UK security consultancy) who can test how secure your network is, even from other locations.
Use a VPN
VPNs are a must-have for those who work remotely. They provide extra online protection for those who work from home, helping to reduce the risk of hackers accessing sensitive data.
VPNs do this by protecting a user’s identity as well as their browsing activity from anyone who may be wanting to snoop. VPNS hide your data and IP address by a virtual tunnel when you connect to the internet, keeping your online activity safe and secure from prying eyes.
You can compare VPNs to keep your data safe from snoops.
Encourage Safety Within the Business
Another great way remote workers can keep their data safe is by encouraging this within the business as a whole.
Having managers send out emails on how to operate safely when working from home can be a big help in raising awareness, as can a video conferencing chat and emails on the latest common phishing tactics going round during the pandemic