More than just a passing trend, telework, remote work, and working from home are here to stay. With the global coronavirus pandemic causing remarkable shifts in the working landscape, everyone should be prepared to keep working from home long after the pandemic ceases to be such a huge influencing factor.
Most businesses are preparing to incorporate at least some kind of hybrid work week, giving employees the option to work remotely part of the week, if not the entire time.
This can be great news for most new remote work employees, who report experiencing a boost in productivity and an overall improved quality of life as they make the transition to working from home.
But the huge influx of online activity has caused other effects as well. With eCommerce sites booming and new virtual online workspaces popping up all over the place, opportunistic hackers have seized the chance to try to fool unsuspecting victims. Cybersecurity attacks have skyrocketed during the pandemic, and the increased time spent on the internet is partially to blame.
So, is there anything you can do to protect yourself from potential cybersecurity threats?
Luckily, there is. Making sure your work from home office has adequate cybersecurity protective measures in place can seem daunting, but in fact, there are plenty of simple steps you can take to prevent cyberattacks.
In this article, we will outline what kinds of potential cybersecurity risks to watch out for. Then we will share 4 tools and techniques you can use to shore up your home cybersecurity system. Anyone can make sure their system is protected, you just have to stay informed and remain diligent in your practices.
The Top 3 Types of Cybercrime You Need to Be Aware Of:
1. Malicious Software
Malicious software can come in many varieties. Usually what happens here is that potential cybercriminals lure you into clicking on a particular link through advertising, email scams, or other methods. Once you click on the bad link, your system will automatically download a particular software, often without your knowledge. Using this software, cybercriminals can gain access to your operating system, your computer databases, or your personal details among other things.
There are three main varieties of malicious software: spyware, malware, and ransomware. The first, spyware, works by infecting your computer with a virtual “spy”. This “spy” can track your online activity and record your preferences and actions without your knowing it.
The second kind, malware, is a type of program that can steal data from your hard drive- if it’s able to access your hard drive, that is. Plenty of cybersecurity protective measures can prevent malware from accessing your hard drive. But more on that later.
The third common type of malicious software is ransomware. Using ransomware programs, cybercriminals will try to extort money, personal information, company records, or some other kind of ransom in exchange for releasing your computer’s data- much like a physical kidnapping, they will hold your computer data hostage. The first line of defense to prevent against these programs: always avoid clicking on websites, ads, or links that seem suspicious!
2. Stolen Identity
Identity theft is not simply limited to online interactions, but with more and more exchanges taking place over the internet, it becomes easier for hackers to access our sensitive data, and thus impersonate us online.
With no face-to-face, in-person verification necessary, hackers can attempt to steal our identities and use our personal details to make purchases, send emails on company networks, arrange false business deals, or embark on cyberbullying campaigns. While working from home, identity thieves may try to log in to company systems using our online employee identifiers, putting sensitive company files and data at risk.
3. Break-ins and Building Security
While it may seem that hacking attempts are limited to the digital sphere, putting only your data at risk, in fact, cybercrime can go hand in hand with physical security breaches.
If you use a home security system, cybercriminals can hack into your account to deactivate cameras, or erase footage, making an actual home break-in that much easier. Or if you can access the company network with specific login information, then a hacker could use that information to access your company building, with none the wiser until after the fact.
Educating yourself about the most common kinds of cybercrime can be intimidating; you should not let the information itself frighten you. Instead, use your knowledge about potential cyberattack varieties to help you make informed decisions in your online activity.
Learning more about the kinds of cybercrime out there can help motivate you to shore up your home cybersecurity systems and protocols. And the good news is, there are straightforward, user-friendly steps you can take to thwart most hacker’s cybercrime attempts. Let’s look at 4 ways you can make your home office more cyber secure.
1. Go Straight to the Heart of the Matter
When you do anything online, either accessing a smartphone app, reading the news on your tablet, giving Alexa commands, or updating company files while working on your desktop, the action is directed through a central command system that processes all of your home internet interactions. This is your internet router. Because all the online interactions that take place over your home network go through your router, protecting your router should be your first line of defense.
There are a few initial steps you can take to protect your router. First, change the Wi-Fi network name. The network name on your internet router is called the SSID, or service set identifier.
Your router will often come with a default SSID; because this network name is essentially public knowledge, it can make it easier for hackers to locate and access your system. Change your network name to something random, the more random the better. Don’t include personal information in the network name- you don’t want to give away any information that a potential hacker might be able to use to access your details.
Then, turn off your router’s network name broadcasting. This will prevent anyone in the area from viewing your network, shrouding your server in an additional layer of privacy. Always keep your router’s software up to date; this should be a regular part of your monthly cybersecurity protocols.
2. Choose a Strong, Unique Password
You have heard it a million times, so many times the information might not even register anymore: choose a strong, secure password for every login. We cannot emphasize enough how much this simple security measure can do to protect your system.
The more difficult your passwords are to guess, the more unlikely it will be for hackers to gain access to your system. Particularly for your Wi-fi network, make sure you choose a robust mixture of letters, numbers, symbols, using upper- and lower-case letters and avoiding anything personal or easy to predict. Song lyrics, birthdays, or the name of your children?
Not good material for a secure, unique password. A random string of numbers, letters, and symbols in an order that is very difficult to guess, at least 12 characters long? Much better. That should keep your system secure.
Keep changing your passwords frequently and make sure each device that syncs to your home network (through your router) is password protected. If you think of your home system as a house, then this will ensure that every door and window is locked, so there is no easy point of access for possible intruders.
If you are worried about remembering all of these individual unique passwords, you can use a secure password manager to track and store your various login details. Never repeat passwords across websites and platforms. And definitely do not use something as easy to guess as, for example, “123456789”. That would be like leaving the front door open for hackers to walk in and take what they want.
3. Restrict and Control System Access
If we continue with this image of your server system as a house that you want to protect, then installing a firewall on your internet router is like installing an electronic security fence- or living in a protected neighborhood.
A firewall will analyze all the traffic that moves through your server. It will determine whether any given website could contain a potential threat and will block user access to your system from unfamiliar users.
A good firewall can effectively filter out malware attacks, keeping cybercriminals from accessing your system data. And if you have inadvertently installed malware on your computer, a firewall can prevent it from accessing your hard drive, like a watchman protecting your system 24/7.
4. Surf the Web Anonymously
The next key step to making sure your home office is cyber secure is to install a VPN. A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, scrambles the geographical location of your internet activities and obscures your online movements, so you can surf the web completely anonymously.
This means potential hackers will be fooled into thinking you are accessing the internet from a different part of the world and will prevent them from seeing which websites you are visiting- and what information you may be entering into those sites, such as credit card details or home address. Some companies require WFH employees to install a VPN on their home network; check with your company to see if this is the case. Then browse privately, without fear of unseen prying eyes.
Prioritizing Your Security
Common sense and regular dedication to your cybersecurity are the most important tools at your disposal. Make your cybersecurity protocols a regular part of your weekly, monthly, and annual routine.
Set aside the time to change your passwords and SSID name regularly. Make sure your router, VPN, and firewall software are always up to date. And generally, avoid any suspicious sites. Trusting your judgment and staying informed can go a long way to help you stay safe from cybersecurity threats.
By Tony Capetti
