How to save your data?

6 steps to safe work from home: How to save your data?

Remote work has become a new reality for many professionals. Employees, from designers to accountants, often handle sensitive information, which poses a risk of compromise when working outside the office environment. To help overcome these challenges, Kaspersky experts have put together check sheet which allows employees to work remotely, in the comfort of their homes, while at the same time preserving data security.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of employees working remotely has increased dramatically. According to Buffer statistics, the vast majority of employees (98%) support at least partial remote work, and the same percentage would recommend this practice to others.

Although working from home is often more convenient than commuting to the office every day, it is important to be vigilant about safety precautions. Remote workers can ensure that all of their data remains secure by following these steps:

Separating work devices from personal devices

Despite the popularity of the “bring your own device” approach, it’s wise to keep a clear distinction between work devices and personal devices. It is recommended to perform work tasks exclusively on an official laptop, and to reserve activities such as watching movies, downloading games or checking personal e-mails for personal devices. This practice reduces the risk of potential data leakage. To further protect personal devices, using a reliable security solution helps prevent malware downloads and access to malicious sites.

Using communication tools approved by the company

Conducting business conversations through private messaging apps or email accounts can create unnecessary risks. Although many such services tout their security measures, corporate communication tools are designed with privacy and compliance standards in mind. Relying only on company-approved platforms ensures that sensitive information remains protected.

Work from home (Unsplash)

Using only company-approved software

The same rules apply to programs – it is recommended to download and use only applications provided or approved by the organization. Other software can introduce vulnerabilities that can compromise security. If additional tools are needed to perform the work, it is best to request them directly from the organization.

Connecting to secure Wi-Fi networks

For those working remotely, it is recommended to avoid using public Wi-Fi networks. If connecting is necessary, checking the network’s legitimacy with staff at a coffee shop or airport can reduce the risk of connecting to fraudulent networks targeting personal information. When using a personal device, reliable VPN can improve security by encrypting data and protecting online activity from unauthorized access.

Saving passwords

Passwords are an access point to sensitive information, so keeping them secret is key. Keeping passwords on paper, even in safe places at home, is not a safe practice. It can be useful to use the association method to create passwords that are both memorable and complex. For example, the phrase “In 2015 I celebrated my birthday in Tokyo” could be turned into a password „U20:15Psr@T“.

“While working remotely can make our security more sensitive, following a few simple guidelines can significantly reduce the risk of data compromise. For example, separating work and personal devices is crucial, as it not only protects sensitive information from potential leaks, but also minimizes the risk of employees inadvertently causing such breaches. While it is recommended to rely on corporate security systems for business tasks, the security of personal devices can be improved efficient and reliable solutions,“ comments Dragan Davidović, General Manager of Kaspersky for Eastern Europe.

Source: BIZLife

Photo: Freepik/Unsplash/Pexels