8 Ways Working From Home Could be Putting You At Risk

    With the rise of hybrid and fully remote working, we are just beginning to understand the cyber risks that come along with employees working from home. Even massive corporations like LastPass are suffering from cyber security attacks. If major businesses can’t secure their work-from-home employees, how are we supposed to?? Before we get into what you can do to decrease your cyber risk, let’s identify eight cybersecurity risks associated with working from home: 

1. Weak or Insecure Home Networks: Employees’ home networks may not be as secure as office networks, and hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in home networks to gain access to company systems and data. 
2. Unsecured Devices: Employees may use personal devices for work purposes that are not adequately secured, such as devices without encryption, weak passwords, or outdated software. 
3. Phishing Attacks: Cybercriminals may use phishing emails or social engineering tactics to trick employees into giving up sensitive information or downloading malware. 
4. Lack of Physical Security: Confidential information could be stolen or compromised if employees leave their devices unattended or fail to lock their screens.  
5. Insecure File Sharing: Employees may use insecure file-sharing services that don’t offer adequate security measures, which can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data. 
6. Insufficient Access Controls: Remote access to company resources could be poorly managed, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive data. 
7. Video Conferencing Risks: Video conferencing platforms can be vulnerable to attacks, such as “Zoom bombing,” where unauthorized individuals gain access to online meetings and disrupt them. 
8. Lack of Cybersecurity Awareness: Employees may not be trained on best practices for cybersecurity or may not recognize the signs of a cyberattack. 

It is essential for organizations to implement cybersecurity policies and procedures that address these risks and ensure that employees follow best practices for working from home. Some ways you can better secure your technology while working from home are:  

• Use a secure password-protected WIFI network with encryption enabled. 
• Use a VPN to hide your IP address. 
• Enable firewalls to block unauthorized access. 
• Use secure file sharing with end-to-end encryption. 

      Securing your work-from-home environment will increase your personal protection and the protection of your company. While security breaches and attacks can still happen, following the recommendations above can help minimize the cyber risks that come from working from home.