Top Tips for keeping safe working remotely

There are plenty of difficulties being faced currently for businesses and remote workers alike. Ranging from utilising the tools you have for maximum efficiency, to finding a routine that works for you. A bonus for companies using cloud technologies, is this transition is probably a lot smoother than those who do not, however there is one problem we are all facing away from the office and that’s security. Below are some of our top tips for how to keep safe online and protect your business!

Email Security

Emails are currently one of the main routes for attackers to breach your data, and during this current pandemic there has been a huge increase in those emails. The technical term for this is ‘Fearware’ or ‘Scareware’, it comes in a range of different methods, but more increasingly it will be an email from what looks like a trusted source urging you to follow a link to secure your data as it is under threat.

•  Be vigilant: Under the current circumstances there is a lot of panic across the nation and it’s easy for a social engineering attack to occur, ensure to check emails from unknown sources that the email address & links are legitimate.
• Catch it, Junk it, Block it! Just like the government advice when sneezing, the same rule can be used to keep safe within emails. Mark un-safe emails as junk & block the sender to prevent getting them in future.
• Stay Smart! Keep your personal password – personal! Don’t be sharing this with colleagues. It’s not about trusting your colleagues, but you can’t control their home network or machine, so don’t leave your data at risk.

Antivirus – your safety net

You will have heard over and over how important it is to have Antivirus software installed and up to date, but that’s because it really is so important! If you happen to be victim of a scam, antivirus software is your safety net. It protects from ransomware attacks (most common), malware attacks, advert popups, bad websites and un-safe software, so if you do happen to click on a bad link online, all is not lost. Things to consider are:

• Budget: Set budget aside to purchase Anti-virus software, as quite often the free stuff will not protect you; there is a reason it’s free.
• Low Carbon Footprint: Ensures that the software does not use up too much resource on your machine and enables productivity.
• Look for a software that uses a host-based intrusion system.
• Ensure the software provides live updates to protect against new threats.

At Yellowbus, we recommend ESET however there are multiple good alternatives on the market.

Encryption

Encryption is an important security tool for any devices taken out of your office. It prevents the security risk of your device being lost or stolen and the data on that device being at risk. Encryption is the process on data being encoded from plain text to ciphertext. Meaning that if your laptop was stolen, the information stolen would not be readable to the attacker.

•  Look out for the tools that use the latest encryption methods and support AES encryption.
•  Ensure that you use 256bit encryption keys as a minimum
•  Make sure the software supports Full Disk Encryption to protect all your data.

Again, at Yellowbus we prefer would be ESET Encryption.

Your Home Network

You may believe your home network is secure, but when you think about who and what has access to your home network, is it really? One personal device on your home network could be enough to allow an attacker to see all traffic and breach your data.

The use of a VPN "Virtual Private Network" is to protect you from this type of attack as your internet connectivity is encrypted. In simple terms, it ensures your internet connectivity is private to you. A VPN can be useful for all businesses as it ensures your data is safe whilst working online and is useful when working at home or on un-protected networks. Here are some tips when obtaining VPN software:

• Install the VPN on your actual device rather than a browser. It ensures that your whole machine is covered and not just one browser.
•  Check with your IT Provider to see if your Office Firewall has VPN functionality before purchasing or using free third-party software.

Often firewalls such as Draytek, Sophos, Sonicwall have good VPN capabilities, but sometimes additional licences are needed & there is a set capacity so check this with your IT team first.

If you’d like to know any more information, discuss any of the tips above then please give me a call on 01925 838 386 or email into [email protected]