Cybersecurity // 5 Tips to Ensure Your Remote Setup is Cybersecure

Remaining cybersecure is quite key even as more businesses adopt the remote working model or even the hybrid working model. Here is why

Cybersecurity // 5 Tips to Ensure Your Remote Setup is Private and Cyber-Secure

Remote working has become a great work option for many companies. Well, as even more companies adopt the hybrid model, still the practice of remote work will have a long-lasting impact on how businesses connect and coordinate with their employees.

However, as the world of work has started to adopt and accept the transition towards remote working, there has been a number of challenges including effectively managing remote teams.

But one major caveat that’s beginning to affect both employees and freelancers alike is cyber-attacks. 

From phishing scams to malware attacks, cyber-attacks, cybercriminals have been seen to infiltrate the relatively weak remote servers and home working networks that general workers have set up, breaching existing vulnerabilities to access confidential data and launch cyber-attacks.

With the help of an IT services provider, remote working can be set up in a secure manner enabling safe collaboration between the management and employees.

Although freelancing from home is often preferred, coworking in a cyber-protected space like Nairobi Garage. Our Wi-Fi, provided by Liquid Telecom and is managed and includes 24/7 IT support with speeds of upto150Mb/s + backup line. Coworking spaces are increasingly being viewed as the ‘safer’ option.

Here are some of our security tips that you can adopt while working remotely:

Invest in penetration testing

One of the best initial things you can do to improve your cybersecurity is to test it using the help of a professional.

Through services like ethical hacking and penetration testing, you can quickly and easily investigate your existing setup, looking to identify any potential access points or existing network vulnerabilities you weren’t already aware of. 

Then, primed with this information, you can make more informed decisions on what you should do to improve your existing setup in the most appropriate manner. 

Enable two-factor authentication

Whether it be in your coworking office, or at the local café, it can be all too easy to get distracted and unintentionally leave your laptop unattended for a set period of time.

So, to prevent any unauthorized access to your accounts or client data, it could be worth setting up two-factor authentication – a form of security system that requires two separate, distinct forms of identification in order to provide access.

Also Read: Cybersecurity // 90% IT Decision-Makers Amplify Their Focus

While it may become a little cumbersome having to constantly sign in in this way, from a personal protection point of view, it could make all the difference, helping prevent your data from being seen, breached, stolen, or deleted.

Use Anti-virus Software

With cyberattacks continuously evolving, it is imperative to ensure your computer continues running effectively by providing it with the best protection possible.

As such, investing in a decent anti-virus software could prove to be money well spent, not only keeping your laptop working efficiently but also providing your system with a form of bundled protection.

Utilizing a combination of firewalls, anti-spyware and anti-malware functionalities, anti-virus software keeps your laptop and network secure at all times, constantly running in the background to monitor any suspicious activity and alerting you to any potentially dangerous material it identifies.

Set up a VPN connection

If you are needing to rely on using a public Wi-Fi network, make sure to use a VPN connection at the same time.

Public Wi-Fi networks – and home Wi-Fi networks for that matter – are incredibly weak infrastructures that can be easily penetrated by even the most amateur of hackers.

Therefore, using a VPN connection will establish a much more secure connection between you and the internet, routing all your data traffic through an encrypted virtual tunnel while disguising your IP address at the same time. 

This, in turn, will then make your location invisible to everyone, helping secure your network against the threat of an external attack.

Train Your Employees

Your employees shouldn’t worry about jeopardizing the company’s data security. Businesses can go ab extra mile to provide their employees with proper cybersecurity training especially if they are going to use their own devices.

They should be able to spot any unusual computer activities which can be a sign that malware is present. Your employees should also be prepared for phishing attempts and educate them on whom to contact in any case of suspicious activities. By doing this, you can prevent any cyberattack.