In the rush to move to a work from home environment, many employers are now facing the situation where employees need to remotely connect to your network in order to complete their job duties. Here are some tips from the Federal Trade Commission for you to consider in order to limit your exposure to online security threats.
How to Protect Your Network and Your Devices
- Company-issued devices should be used for company business only. With many people in a home needing to access the internet for work, school and other activities, it may be tempting for an employee to let a spouse or kids use their work computer. This can inadvertently cause problems with your company’s cybersecurity because your network and/or client data could accidentally be compromised.
- As important, don’t use your personal computer to conduct work related items because it can be easily compromised and if you use it to connect to your work’s network, you could be putting client data at risk.
- Keep your connection secure. Use a router with WPA2 or WPA3 encryption when connecting from home. Encryption protects information sent over a network so that outsiders can’t read it. WPA2 and WPA3 are the only encryption standards that will protect information sent over a wireless network. To see if you are using a current encryption standard on a Windows 10 device, simply click on the properties of your wireless connection while it is connected, and then scroll down to view security type.
- If your company has a VPN in place, make sure employees are using it to transmit company data and make sure your employees are not accessing Wi-Fi via public, unsecured connections.
- Use encryption to send sensitive data via email. At BerganKDV, we utilize SafeSend software.
- Physical security – keep your work computer safe by locking doors at home when you are away and never leave your devices or laptops in your car or your car trunk.
Protect Yourself and Your Company from Potential Phishing Scams and Fraudulent Links
Unfortunately, COVID-19 is being used in a variety of malicious campaigns including email spam, malware, ransomware, and malicious domains. These cybercriminals know that businesses are on overload, making it prime time for them to attempt phishing schemes and other tactics to breach a company’s information security. A few reminders are listed below and you can also share our Email Security Best Practices tip sheet with your employees.
- Check the email from field to validate the sender.
- Think twice before clicking on a link, hover over it to make sure you recognize the URL.
- Do not ‘unsubscribe’. Instead, simply delete.
The steps above will help your employees keep corporate devices and information secure, no matter where they are working. Some other things to consider implementing if you have not already done so are acceptable use and remote work policies in addition to training your team to be able to spot attempts from cybercriminals who are trying to steal your information.
Our teams at BerganKDV are rallying together and working around the clock to ensure we’re up and running so you can be up and running. Whatever situation you’re faced with, at any time – you can call our task force and we’ll get you the answers, the listening ear and/or the quick support you need: 888-356-2295 or info@bergankdv.com.
