Working remotely poses a wide variety of cyber security risks that you need to be aware of. You would be very surprised by how inventive hackers can be these days. They’ve found new ways to take advantage of unsuspecting victims by using social engineering techniques, remote connections, and hardware, and unless you are aware of those threats, you won’t be able to protect yourself against them. Here are some cybersecurity tips all remote workers should live by.
Never Connect to Public Chargers
Public chargers might seem benign at first glance, and you might believe that they are out of reach of hackers but think again. If you didn’t already know, hackers are now tampering with chargers and using them to load malware onto devices. This means that someone could be accessing information from your phone as you’re charging it, and this person doesn’t even have to be in the same vicinity, city, or even country as you.
This is why you should make sure that your devices are properly charged before you leave and have plenty of backup options. If you're looking for reliable power banks for a variety of devices at a low price, you should check out the Rack To Door Cyber Monday Deal.
Only Connect to Public Networks through a VPN
Another thing you have to be very suspicious about is public networks. Places with public networks are very popular with hackers as they know that many people will be mindlessly connecting to the public network without thinking of the consequences. Even the administrator of the network could be a malicious agent whose sole purpose for being an admin was to gather information.
So, only connect to one of these networks through a VPN. Don’t take VPNs at face value either. There are some VPNs out there that are malicious too and that were made to install a false sense of trust in users. Only pick one that has a solid reputation and look at the technology behind it to make sure that it’s reliable.
Use Two Factor Authentication on Mobile Devices
Mobile devices can be a huge liability, and you need to protect yourself and your company from breaches by securing your devices correctly. The first thing you should do is activate two-factor authentication on your mobile. You could use a PIN or pattern with fingerprint verification, for instance. This will ensure that only you can access the device in case it gets lost.
Look Over Your Shoulder and Choose Seating Wisely
If you’re going to be looking at sensitive information or accessing sensitive accounts and you're working from a public space, try to pick a spot where no one will be able to peek over your shoulder. If you can’t find one, you'll need to be aware of your surroundings at all times as people could pick up important information or passwords. You should also consider investing in a privacy screen protector to make sure that people cannot read your screen from the sides.
Hackers are becoming savvier and more sophisticated by the day and remote workers are prime targets for attacks. This is why cybersecurity needs to be at the top of your mind 24/7 and why you should follow these tips to the letter if you aren’t already.