Are Your Employees Working From Home During the Coronavirus Crisis?
3 Hidden Risks You Should be Aware of
When the Coronavirus pandemic hit the nation (and world), it forced companies across the United States to make rapid transitions to having their employees work from home. Huge changes like this often take months to implement. But this crisis required an immediate change in a matter of days. Because of this—-many business owners didn’t realize the cyber security threat these quick office changeovers created.
The good news is, it’s never too late to protect your valuable company data. Check out the list below for 3 important things you can do now to prevent a costly and stressful data breach:
- Protect your company emails. Prevent phishing attacks from hackers by educating employees on tactics hackers use, and what to watch out for. Keep email spyware blocking systems updated. Many hackers are posing as legitimate health organizations and fool people into compromising data, so it’s helpful to make your staff aware of this.
2. Train employees on proper protocol for private company conversations and conference calls. Without policies in place, you risk leaking vulnerable information. Whether you require your staff to wear a headset, work in a private room with a closed door or leave their camera off—-make sure your employees know the importance of sticking to these guidelines. Another key tip: have policies for mobile phones for company use if you don’t already have them in place. There are often even more cyber risks associated with mobile devices because employees are so familiar with them, they may unknowingly compromise information.
3. Update your security software on company-owned laptops and computers. Use high quality and proven tools to stop ransomware. You also may also want to prohibit employees from using personal laptops for work tasks. Their security systems may not be updated or robust enough to protect your company’s valuable data.
While there are many more cyber threats to watch out for, these are some essential ones to be aware of while employees are working from home. Continue to be vigilant for any potential cyber threats and train your staff to do the same. The purpose of having employees work from home is to protect them and others from a dangerous virus—-the Coronavirus. Make sure you’re also protecting your company’s financial and cyber well-being by protecting against viruses that attack technology.