Cybersecurity at home: cyber hygiene for remote workers

Working in the office offers a host of benefits, such as in-person lunches and meetings with colleagues. At the same time, office work provides the advantage of operating through a secure network. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, workers have been forced to trade their usual commute for a more convenient alternative: either eliminating work altogether or working from home.

While working from home offers the advantage of being able to easily get out of bed and grab your laptop, it also means you'll be operating without the security protections that office systems typically provide. This can leave you and your business vulnerable to cyber threats.

While it's great that all our tasks can be done online, there's also the risk that cybercriminals will take advantage of our weak home security systems and attack our organization from our own home office.

What can we do? Read on for tips on how to practice cyber hygiene as a remote worker.

What are the risks associated with remote work?

As technology advances, cybercriminals become more sophisticated in their tactics and efforts. While many companies have struggled to implement firewalls and malware, employees working from home do not benefit from these security measures at home.

Home internet connections are generally less secure, giving cybercriminals a much easier chance to infiltrate a corporate network. Furthermore, online tools, solutions, and services for collaborative teamwork tend to have weaker security protocols by default, and these can be easily exploited by cybercriminals.

Phishing scams and ransomware have a greater chance of bypassing corporate defenses when they enter through home security. Employees are less aware of these threats, and emails, messages, and calls can slip through the net that would otherwise be filtered while they are working in the office.

Cybersecurity tips for your home office:

While it's not a foolproof system, there are ways to practice cyber hygiene as a remote worker to protect your personal information and your business. As a remote worker, consider the following tips:

• Consider using a VPN (virtual private network) for added security when working online.
• If you are working outside the home, such as in a cafe, do not download anything over the public Wi-Fi network and be mindful when entering a password in case someone is looking over your shoulder.
• Use multi-factor authentication. Some systems allow you to use two forms of identity before unlocking an account, such as a PIN and password, or biometrics like your fingerprint.
• Never click on suspicious attachments.
• If something seems unusual (even if it appears to be coming from a colleague or supervisor) or even too good to be true, report it to IT.

As a business owner, your IT department should be at the forefront of efforts to regularly apply updates and patches to computers. Furthermore, employees and staff should be thoroughly trained to avoid phishing attempts and understand that if anything seems suspicious, they should report it to IT immediately.

The costs of a cybersecurity breach

Even if you work for a small, family-run business, be aware that the consequences of a cybersecurity breach can be devastating. In recent years, there has been a marked increase not only in the number of cyber-hacks, breaches, and ransomware incidents, but also a significant leap in their creativity and severity.

10 of the biggest ransomware attacks of 2021 They targeted not only large companies like Acer, but also small schools in the education sector and even health services.

In 2020, the average cost of a cyberattack was estimated at approximately $133,000. Unfortunately, given the lucrative attempts by hackers and the extremes of cybercrime in recent years, the costs of an event are expected to increase considerably.

Cybercrime at home

Cybercrime poses a huge risk to organizations, but it's also a risk to your household. Cybercriminals don't just target businesses and remote workers. Fraud and identity theft rates are also on the rise. Whether you're a remote worker or not, be sure to educate your family members about the importance of good cyber hygiene, including using strong passwords, never sharing them, never downloading attachments from suspicious websites or emails, and, if in doubt, avoiding opening or immediately deleting any email or message that seems unusual.

Most homeowners and renters insurance providers offer the option to purchase identity theft insurance. While you can significantly reduce your chances of becoming a victim of identity theft by practicing good cyber hygiene, identity theft can be devastating, and a standard homeowners or renters policy may offer little to no coverage. Speak with your broker today about purchasing additional identity theft protection to see if it could benefit you and your family!