Remote work is more popular than ever, and this type of work has many advantages such as: the ability to work from any location you choose, the ability to balance work and family, savings on transportation costs, eliminating distractions, and much more. Not that working remotely has no downsides. When you work outside your company, you don't have the security features in your office to protect your data, such as b. A secure internet connection and the presence of IT experts who will support you in solving any technical problems that may arise. can hit.
However, you can follow these tips to protect your data while working remotely, no matter where you are:
1- Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks when working remotely:
One of the biggest benefits of telecommuting is the ability to work from anywhere, which increases your productivity, often in a public place like a coffee shop, library, or park. However, working in a public place poses a risk to your data.
To maintain a safe remote working environment, do not connect to public WiFi networks available in the coffee shop or library where you intend to work. Because when you use this network, you make your data available to the same network that other people can connect to, which means that they can access your data even if the network is not completely secure.
However, there are simple solutions for getting online in public places. The first is to use a VPN when you need to access corporate information in public places.
A VPN is a Virtual Private Network that provides an extra layer of security by providing an encrypted connection between your device and the Internet. If you are using a computer provided by the company, it may have a VPN service installed. Other than that, there are a variety of virtual networks that you can use.
Another simpler solution is to share your phone's data with your computer via a coffee shop's internet hotspot. However, if you must use public WiFi, you can follow some of the privacy tips described in the article: How to protect your data when connected to public WiFi?
2- Using antivirus software:
Antivirus software adds another layer of security to your computer. All computers, regardless of manufacturer, have antivirus software that prevents malware from entering your computer. If you are using a computer provided by the company, antivirus and malware software may be installed on that computer.
However, if you occasionally access sensitive company information through your personal devices such as your cell phone or computer, using antivirus software on those devices can also help increase data security and add an extra layer to your personal information. Additional collateral such as: credit card numbers, medical records, etc.
3- Update all devices regularly:
Software updates provide new features and device performance improvements, as well as the latest security patches. Therefore, it is important for your device to be updated regularly.
If you update all your devices, you must ensure that your computer, mobile phone, and all smart devices connected to your network, for example, are updated. B. Smart home gadgets, and one of the most important devices to update is your router.
Regularly updating and rebooting your router not only helps to improve its performance and internet connection, but also ensures that the latest and most secure software is installed.
4- Use a strong password:
To add more security to your accounts, be sure to change the default password for each account to a unique and strong one. And avoid using the same password for all other websites you use.
Also, be sure to change your router's default passwords, as hackers can easily steal them and thus pose a security risk to your data.
5- Back up your data:
By backing up your data regularly, you can easily restore it in case of data loss or data breach. To backup your data, you can choose cloud storage service like iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, etc. You can also back up the data to an external storage drive.