With COVID-19 pandemics affecting the world, remote working has never been more widespread. Even companies that never thought they would introduce the concept of remote working have now been forced to try to it out for themselves. That being said, with more people remote working, there comes a higher risk of security breaches.

Whether you’re remote working for the first time and just starting out, or you’ve been remote working for a while, you should know that security is of the utmost importance. Failure to be secure and you could leak personal private information from your business, yourself, and even your customers, which could leave you with some big problems.

Protecting your business is key, so today, we’re going explore the top five mistakes all remote workers need to think about and avoid ensuring everything remains secure. As an individual, as a company, as a business, and as an organisation, this is what you need to think about when it comes to your security policy.

 

1. Not Updating Technology

Whether you’re using a smartphone, tablet, or computer/laptop to remote work, it’s vital to ensure you always keep it up to date and running the latest firmware. Technology is updated all the time, and most updates will include some kind of security update.

“If you don’t update your device, your technology will still be vulnerable to whatever flaw that was patched, which means your sensitive information will be accessible. As soon as updates are released for your devices, make sure you’re installing them,” Jason Morello, a tech writer at Australianhelp and Research Paper Writing Service.

 

2. Not Using All Security Features and Settings

Regardless of what apps, web-based apps, and cloud services you’re using, you’ll have a range of security-based features and settings available to you. This includes features like multiple passwords, room passwords, two-step login, and more. By not utilising these services, you’re actively allowing your systems and information to become compromised.

Usually, people see it as a lot of hassle to use two-step login and similar services, so will disable them, but it’s important to remember they are there for a reason. Take Zoom, for example, a leading video conferencing platform that has taken off since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before, you could just join a meeting using a link. Still, since it erupted in popularity, it had to install a feature meant every meeting had a password since anybody could participate at any time if they knew how, but the hosts had the option to set the password or not. Make sure you use these security features provided to maximise your safety.

 

3. Not Using Approved Apps/Software Only

While it can be tempting to try and use every piece of collaboration and productivity app under the sun to see what works for you, the more apps and software you use, the more chance you have of using an unapproved app that compromises your security.

“You might be doing everything you can do protect your computer, but if the service of the app you’re using isn’t secure, people will be able to access your system this way. To counter this, only use approved apps and software that your company allows you to use to help safeguard your information,” explains Terry Johnson, a cybersecurity journalist at State Of Writing and Boomessays.

 

4. Not Securing Devices While Not in Use

If you’re sat in a café or a coworking space, and you get up to get a drink or something to eat, do you lock your computer or phone or leave it open? Not securing your devices is one of the easiest ways to compromise your device and business security. Of course, during COVID times, this may not be so common, but your devices will still be open to children, family members, housemates and the sorts.

Imagine you’re working on your business network and you get up to answer the door. Your child comes along taps on the computer and deletes everything. Imagine losing everything. All you need to do to prevent that from happening is to lock your computer, and the rest is history.

 

5. Not Checking Email Links and Attachments

While an age-old classic that doesn’t need too much said on it, if you receive an email, make sure you know who it’s from before clicking on the link or downloading the attachment. This is how viruses and malware spreads, so just be safe and use a file scanner beforehand.

 

Katherine Rundell is a cybersecurity writer at College Paper Writing Service and Essay Help. Katherine writes about cybersecurity mistakes; she also is a manager at Assignment Writer website.