Securing Your Remote Workspace: Tips for Working away from the office

• When working from home, it is important to remain cautious of cyberattacks.
• Protect sensitive information, even when not in the office.
• It's crucial to be vigilant and proactive in protecting your business from potential cyber threats.

In the age of remote work, cybersecurity has never been more critical. As a business owner, the responsibility of ensuring your organisation's digital safety falls squarely on your shoulders, even when your workforce is scattered across various home offices.

The shift from a traditional office setting to a remote one has opened up new avenues for cybercriminals to exploit. Therefore, it's crucial to be vigilant and proactive in protecting your business from potential cyber threats. This article offers practical tips and measures that you can implement to bolster your business's cybersecurity while working from home.

Our TOP tips for secure home working for your remote workers

While your home may seem safe from cyberattacks, it’s important to remain cautious while working from home. It may be easy to get comfortable at home and forget about security precautions, but cybercriminals can use this opportunity to target you, your co-workers, and your organisation. It’s up to you to prevent cybercrime from happening to your organisation, even while working from home.

Follow the tips below to maintain a safe work environment at home:

• Protect sensitive information, even when you’re not in the office.
• Organise your workspace. When your workspace is organised, you’re less likely to misplace important documents and will have a place to put these documents when you aren’t using them.
• Follow your organisation’s policy for taking screenshots or pictures of sensitive information. Blur out any personally identifiable information (PII) or other sensitive information.
• Be careful when posting company information on social media platforms such as LinkedIn. Even if the information seems harmless, it’s better to review your organisation’s policy before posting.
• Protect your devices with strong passwords.
• Set up passwords or passcodes to protect your devices. If you don’t use passwords, cybercriminals can easily gain access to your devices should you lose them.
• Don’t use identical or similar passwords for multiple accounts. If you have trouble remembering your passwords, use a password manager to create and manage the passwords for your accounts.
• Change the password for your Wi-Fi router. Most routers come with default passwords that can be easily guessed.
• Use appropriate equipment.
• Follow organisation policy when using work equipment at home. It’s important that you use equipment provided by your organisation as it may include important security measures to prevent cyberattacks.
• If you're allowed to use personal devices for work, create a separate user profile for work. It’s best to separate your personal and work profiles.
• Don’t download unnecessary applications or software onto your organisation’s  devices. If you have questions about approved applications or software, review your organisation’s policy or ask your IT department.

Conclusion

Working from home has become the new normal for many businesses, and with it comes unique cybersecurity challenges. However, by adhering to the guidelines outlined in this article, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to cyber threats. Remember, cybersecurity is not a one-time task but a continuous effort. Stay informed, stay cautious, and most importantly, stay safe. Your business's security is worth every bit of effort you put into it.

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