KEEP YOUR BUSINESS SAFE

In recent months, many of us are now working from home. Many companies have reaped the benefits of this new way of working, however, it has also come with challenges too, such as communication barriers or ensuring your workforce have the correct IT infrastructure at home. However, there is one challenge that may have been overlooked in the haste to start working from home – IT security.
Though we’ve been focusing on how to protect your brand in the recent uncertainty it’s important to not forget the basics of keeping your business safe.
Read our guide below to ensure you are not the weakest link in your company security chain.

KEEP IT PRIVATE

Not only may employees be sharing wi-fi connections with multiple people under the same roof, they may be utilizing wi-fi connections from cafes or libraries too. Encourage employees to use a private connection, where possible.

Additionally, when working from home, ensure that the home wi-fi connection is encrypted (asks for a password to connect). Consider changing the password if it has been shared in the past – avoid easy to guess passwords such as 12345678 or qwerty123.
With Google Chrome it is possible to save all your passwords – consider whether some passwords are better kept in your memory only. Though saving your passwords within Google does come with its own protection – Google will send you an alert if it thinks that a password has become compromised and tell you to change it immediately.
Other secure password storing software such as Dashlane are also available – this allows your company to share and update passwords in a secure way – of course behind its own password protection.

INSTALL ANTI VIRUS SOFTWARE

Instruct all team members who are working from home that they need to have antivirus and/or anti-malware software installed on their work computer. If there is already software installed, ensure that the subscription is still valid and has not expired to avoid being vulnerable.

KEEP UP TO DATE

Ensure that your computer updates are installed in a timely manner and highlight the importance of this to employees – don’t assume that once the notification shows that the update will be installed there and then. Some employees may wait days or weeks to install updates until their computer forces them to.

KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN

We are working mostly in a digital world, without the same amount of face-to-face communication that we were accustomed to – making it easier for hackers to send malware to unsuspecting employees. If you suspect that a link/attachment sent to you is suspicious – do not open it. Even with the best firewalls in place, a malicious email can slip through the net and be highly convincing. Read messages carefully and check with the sender for clarification if you are not sure.

KEEP THINGS SOCIAL

Companies should use an online instant messenger, such as MS Teams, to allow teams to keep in contact – this will ensure that some social interaction is maintained, but also work-related messages and documents can be sent in a safe and secure environment. Encourage staff to use this as opposed to WhatsApp or Facebook for work conversations.

TWO-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION

Emails are the easiest way for hackers to infiltrate your corporate system. Installing a two-factor authentication system, meaning users need to go through two layers of security to access their account, will help prevent the corporate system being compromised.

SHARING IS CARING

Employees working from home may share their computer or tablet with other family members. If so, encourage staff to set up a profile specifically for work. This will avoid a family member logging in and accidentally deleting a file or an email from your inbox. Additionally, if there are others around, the screen should be locked when away from your desk to avoid any accidents.
It’s important to ensure that everyone in the company is aware of your IT security practises, it’s very easy to assume that everyone is tech-savvy but some may be embarrassed to ask for help. Consider training with all your employees to ensure everything is safe as it can be.
Ensure there are no weak links in your IT system and all your team is reminded that it only takes one click to compromise your systems.

Talk to us today for advice on how to ensure that you stay safe and secure online.