Holidays are just around the corner. And with the current hybrid workspace norms, many employees choose to work remotely to enjoy longer stays with their families.
While this sounds amazing, we agree that it adds an extra layer of jeopardy to data and cyber security as work laptops and devices head out of the safety of company networks and into the busy and often dangerous world of international travel and the public internet.
Some of the most common causalities of data loss occur when employees are on the move, with devices overlooked and stolen from public places. Also, insecure networks can lead to potential breaches and the company’s sensitive data winding up in the wrong hands. If you have online accounts, hackers have likely leaked data from at least one of them.
So what to do next?
Here are 7 steps to safeguard your data and cyber security during this holiday season:
1. Password-protect your digital self.
Ensure your devices and digital presence, including social media profiles and emails, are password protected. Use solid and hard-to-guess passphrases instead of regular passwords. Use password managers to store your passwords. Set up Two-Factor / Multi-Factor Authentication for an added layer of security.
2. Equip yourself with the latest security practices.
Ensure to update your antivirus software and run regular scans to install the latest security mechanisms. Go through our knowledge-sharing materials along with other helpful articles online to remain well-versed with the latest trends in cybersecurity.
3. When online, stay vigilant!
Use reliable payment services and gateways to accept/send payments to business clients. Avoid visiting shady websites and never reveal your personal information online.
4. Never use unsecured public WiFi for work.
Employees should be discouraged from connecting to the internet through public WiFi hotspots. Insecure networks are easy targets for cybercriminals looking to intercept sensitive information passing between devices and websites. In case of an emergency, employees should ensure that they are using a legitimate, secure and password-protected public WiFi by checking with the airport, cafe, hotel staff etc.
5. Social media privacy is paramount!
Manage your social media profiles carefully with robust privacy settings. Here again, install Two-Factor / Multi-Factor Authentications for Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and other social networks.
6. Data backups are a necessity.
Regularly back up critical work-related files in either an external hard drive or a reliable cloud storage service. Always acquire rights before using or downloading copyrighted material. Always log out of your business accounts before signing off for the day to make sure no one else has access to it.
7. Don’t let devices out of sight.
A moment of carelessness is all that’s needed for data security to be put in jeopardy. Hard drives and mobile phones should have encryption enabled and remote wiping options activated to minimise data loss in case of device theft. Again here, strong password practices and multi-factor authentication can also help keep data safe and allow users to take steps to secure their accounts before they are compromised.
Find your own balance.
Holiday season or not, we all share one common goal: happiness. So, try to find your own work-life balance that brings you just that.
Enjoy the holidays! We at Network Intelligence wish you a very merry season and a prosperous New Year.
Shalaka Patil works as a Marketing Manager at Network Intelligence. She has a passion for Cybersecurity and Digital Technology which she leverages in content creation and communication.