Reduce the cyber security risks of working remotely

While working from home can be a life raft, it also increases cyber security risks exponentially.

Increased phishing risks

Criminal syndicates are becoming more sophisticated and spotting malicious messages is getting more difficult with each passing day.

Check Point provides the following guidelines to stop consumers from falling victim to phishing scams:

Be cautious with emails and files received from unknown senders, especially if they prompt for a certain action you would not usually perform.
Ensure you are ordering goods from an authentic source. One way to do this is not to click on promotional links in emails, and instead Google your desired retailer and click the link from the Google results page.
Beware of “special” offers.
Beware of lookalike domains, spelling errors in emails or websites, and unfamiliar email senders.

Use of personal devices

Employees who work remotely may be accessing and transmitting sensitive data from unsecured networks which are more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. This puts companies at risk of exposure, along with the associated liability stemming from data privacy laws should sensitive data be exposed. Risks are increased to the extent that employees use personal devices to conduct company business.

Comparitech.com advises that there are some simple steps that can be taken to mitigate against the risk of cyber-attacks while working from home:

Use strong passwords

Passwords should be unique for every account and should comprise a long string of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters.

Set up two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication and two-step verification involve an additional step to add an extra layer of protection to your accounts. The extra step could be an email or text message confirmation, a biometric method such as facial recognition or a fingerprint scan, or something physical, such as a USB fob.

Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

A VPN encrypts all of your internet traffic, so that it is unreadable to anyone who intercepts it.

Set up firewalls

Firewalls act as a line of defence to prevent threats entering your system. They create a barrier between your device and the internet by closing ports to communication. Your device’s operating system will typically have a built-in firewall, just make sure that yours are enabled.

Use antivirus software

If malware does manage to find its way onto your device, an antivirus may be able to detect and, in some cases, remove it.

Secure your home router

Change your router password.
Ensure firmware updates are installed so that security vulnerabilities can be patched.
Encryption should be set to WPA2 or WPA3.
Restrict inbound and outbound traffic, use the highest level of encryption available, and switch off WPS.

Install updates regularly

Updates are important as they often include patches for security vulnerabilities that have been uncovered since the last iteration of the software was released.

Back up your data

Data can be lost in several ways, including human error, physical damage to hardware, or a cyberattack. Ransomware and other types of malware can wipe data from entire systems. While hardware backups are still an option, one of the most convenient and cost-effective ways to store your data is in the cloud.

Beware remote desktop tools

Many employers will be allowing employees to access their work networks via Remote Desktop Protocols (RDPs). While this can be secure, a 2019 Check Point study found security problems with some of the most popular RDP tools for Linux and Windows.

Use encrypted communications

Many mainstream messaging services such as Signal, WhatsApp, and Telegram come with end-to-end encryption as default or as an option.

Lock your device

Password-locking your device will usually encrypt its contents until someone enters the password.

Taking a leaf from the medical fraternity’s book it should be clear that when it comes to cyber related risks, prevention is much better than cure.

The information contained in this article is of a general nature and intended for information purposes only.