Even though states are beginning to open up again, many companies are sticking with the work from home method to conduct business.

Consulting, tech, accounting, and firms of similar natures are extending their remote work orders. Some companies are waiting until fall to send employees back to the office, while others are considering making a permanent switch. The benefits of remote working for those that can afford to switch include health and safety, money, and convenience. No more long commutes or expensive trips! Because more and more employees are using personal devices and networks to share classified information, one of the biggest concerns with working from home is security. With that in mind, here is a list of tips for keeping your data secure while working from home.

Stronger Passwords that Change Often

To prevent hackers from easily logging into your accounts, create longer more complicated passwords that include lower case, upper case, numbers, and special characters and change them often. Do not use your name or nickname in any of your passwords. Use a password manager to ensure all your passwords are strong.

Anti-Virus Software

If you don’t already have anti-virus software installed on your personal computer, do that immediately. This is the easiest thing you can do to protect your information.

Keep Your Device and Your Workspace Secure

Don’t let friends or family use your computer, and make sure you monitor children or others who use your workspace. Children tend to click on links and sites without knowing if they are secure or not, so keep your device out of their reach when working from home.

VPN

A VPN is a great way to maintain a secure network while at home. There are many free VPN apps, but free typically means less secure. Here are a few sites to check out:

-To learn more about VPN: https://www.howtogeek.com/133680/htg-explains-what-is-a-vpn/

-VPN for iPhone: https://www.cnet.com/news/best-iphone-vpn-in-2020/

-VPN for Android: https://www.cnet.com/news/best-vpn-for-android-for-2020/

Be Aware

Phishing and e-mail scams are among the most prevalent cybersecurity attacks targeting employees, which is why we have written multiple articles on the subject. Make sure you know what a phony e-mail might look like and how to avoid scams and viruses.  If you own your own company or are in charge of a team, be sure to keep yourself and your employees trained on how to avoid common cyber threats. Additionally, have protocol put in place in case you or one of your employees does experience a cyber attack. Because the number of phishing attacks have increased monumentally due to COVID-19, Google recently released a site called ScamSpotter that teaches you how to identify and avoid these scams. You can also find informative articles in our blog archives.

Visit our blog to find more interesting articles on cyber security and tech tips.