Back in the pre-pandemic days, most offices had a clear division of labor. You sat in your cubicle doing whatever analysis or content creation your job entails, and the IT department took care of security. That’s their job, right? These days that simple division is thoroughly blurred. If you’re one of the vast number of people who now experience working from home, you’re responsible for doing so securely. Show
Don’t worry. There are plenty of things you can do to upgrade your work-from-home security, and many are simple to implement. Follow the tips below to make sure that you’re not the one who accidentally exposes all the customer records or leaks secret company plans to a competitor. Secure Your ComputerIf you’re new to working from home, chances are good you simply promoted your existing personal computer to be a work computer. For work, though, you need to take security seriously. Some folks skip antivirus protection altogether, on the basis that they’ve got nothing a hacker would want. They’re wrong, but that’s not important now. The point is, that attitude won’t fly when company data is on your device, so get an antivirus installed right away. If you already have an antivirus, check that it’s fully enabled and up to date. And check with your boss—your company’s IT group may offer a free license for the official antivirus they’ve selected. Our Top Antivirus Picks
Speaking of locking the computer, you do lock your account with a password, right? Maybe you thought there’s no need for a strong password when the computer just served to let you check email and watch cat videos, but now that it has “work stuff” on it, that changes. Set up a reasonably strong password now. If your device supports Windows Hello, macOS Touch ID, or some other type of biometric login, use that. More on passwords below! Secure Your NetworkYou may not care if a neighbor mooches off your home Wi-Fi network, but letting strangers into a network that contains your company’s work product is another story. If you’re still using the default Wi-Fi login credentials, shame on you! Lists of defaults for popular routers abound on the internet. It’s time to change your Wi-Fi password. Hey, it can even be fun, since you also change your network’s name to anything you want. How about “FBI Mobile Unit #936”? Many offices require long-term remote workers to connect to the company network using a corporate virtual private network, or VPN. This makes the remote PC part of the corporate network and gives it access to resources that are only available in-network. In most cases, using a VPN effectively takes that remote PC out of its own local network, meaning local resources like network printers won’t be available, but that’s the price you pay. Remember, too, that when you’re using the corporate VPN, all your internet traffic goes through your employer’s servers. You’d be wise to refrain from surfing for porn or any other sketchy online activities when you're on the company's VPN. Over the past few years, many workers have been tossed willy-nilly into the work-from-home world by companies that don’t know anything about VPNs. You can still protect your internet traffic, both work and personal, by engaging the services of a third-party VPN. We’ve identified the best VPNs, so you can choose one that fits your budget. Our Top VPN Picks Simple Tricks to Remember Insanely Secure Passwords Passwords are a terrible way to authenticate your access to secure sites and apps, but at present, they’re the best we’ve got. We always advise you to use a different, unguessable password on every site, and never re-use passwords. Most important of all, never reuse the same password for work accounts and personal accounts. Of course, there’s no way you can remember dozens or hundreds of strong passwords, so you’ll absolutely need a password manager. Some password managers let you create different password collections, say, one for work and one for personal. For even more separation, you might consider using one free password manager for work and a different one for your personal passwords. What Is Two-Factor Authentication? As you can see, there’s a lot you can do to secure your work-from-home situation. The best part is, investing a little time in security benefits your personal digital life as well. Your employer may still suffer a data breach due to having employees work from home, but it won’t be your fault. Sign up for SecurityWatch newsletter for our top privacy and security stories delivered right to your inbox. Email This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep an eye on your inbox! Sign up for other newslettersAbout Neil J. RubenkingLead Analyst for Security When the IBM PC was new, I served as the president of the San Francisco PC User Group for three years. That’s how I met PCMag’s editorial team, who brought me on board in 1986. In the years since that fateful meeting, I’ve become PCMag’s expert on security, privacy, and identity protection, putting antivirus tools, security suites, and all kinds of security software through their paces. Before my current security gig, I supplied PCMag readers with tips and solutions on using popular applications, operating systems, and programming languages in my "User to User" and "Ask Neil" columns, which began in 1990 and ran for almost 20 years. Along the way I wrote more than 40 utility articles, as well as Delphi Programming for Dummies and six other books covering DOS, Windows, and programming. I also reviewed thousands of products of all kinds, ranging from early Sierra Online adventure games to AOL’s precursor Q-Link. In the early 2000s I turned my focus to security and the growing antivirus industry. After years working with antivirus, I’m known throughout the security industry as an expert on evaluating antivirus tools. I serve as an advisory board member for the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO), an international nonprofit group dedicated to coordinating and improving testing of anti-malware solutions. What steps can you take to ensure the physical security of your laptop?Tips to protect your computer. Use a firewall. ... . Keep all software up to date. ... . Use antivirus software and keep it current. ... . Make sure your passwords are well-chosen and protected. ... . Don't open suspicious attachments or click unusual links in messages. ... . Browse the web safely. ... . Stay away from pirated material.. What is the most basic rule of computer security?The most basic means of protecting a computer system against theft, vandalism, invasion of privacy, and other irresponsible behaviours is to electronically track and record the access to, and activities of, the various users of a computer system.
When it comes to securing laptops what is the most effective single control?The most important step for securing your laptop and preventing other people from accessing your files without permission is to require a login password. Make sure to create a password that is difficult to guess, so don't use your birthday, your cat's name, or the name of a loved one.
What are the physical security measures for the information system?What is physical security?. Site design and layout.. Environmental components.. Emergency response readiness.. Training.. Access control.. Intrusion detection.. Power and fire protection.. |
