CYBER SECURITY: HOW TO PREVENT CYBER-ATTACKS WHILE WORKING FROM HOME

Whether you are working from home or hybrid working, cyber-attacks have become a sudden cause of concern for many.

To stay safe online, businesses must give employees information about how to prevent this unwelcomed online experience. By sharing knowledge and having security policies in place, employees will have a head start on potential intrusions and this will keep them productive and safe from being hacked as they work and collaborate together from different locations.

 Cyber Security Tips While Working From Home 

Ensure a strong password – Very basic step but make sure your password is a strong but rememberable one that only you would know and guess. Include a mixture of lower case, upper case and special characters that are unique to you and that you have not chosen or used before. Do not just reinvent a new version of your current password, choose a brand new one that has not been exhausted.

Secure your home network - Simply secure your home network by turning on encryption which is WPA2 or WPA3 on your router. Encryption helps make information sent over your network harder to read to outsiders. By taking this basic step to secure your home Wi-Fi you can help protect all the wireless devices that you use under your roof such as your phone, computer, smart TV etc. This will prevent devices from being hacked which will prevent important personal information being stolen.  

Locking your laptop – Ensure that you lock your home screen when you are away from your computer. Family members and housemates might mean no harm but if they use your work computer for their personal searches, online shopping and game playing they could expose your network to some unsecured websites while might lead to sensitive work information being put at risk. 

Whatever actions you do take to ensure your online security, be sure that your workforce understands that while working from home, their house is now an extension of the office and that cyber security should be a topic of discussion on a regular basis. 

For more information on cyber security read this Microsoft article and contact Digital First to learn more.