As many businesses are shifting to working remotely as a result of COVID-19, maintaining a safe and secure home network is an important step in protecting the data of you, your company, and your clients. While you might think that your home network is secure, there are shocking vulnerabilities that are often easy to overlook when working remotely.
Only Use Company Hardware 
With today’s technology, it’s common for people to work, play, and communicate on multiple devices throughout the day. However, when it comes to your professional work, your IT department has implemented advanced security features that provide an additional level of security not found on personal devices, keeping your data safe from cybercriminals who may try to gain access to your network. By working exclusively on your company-provided hardware, proactive security measures are already putting up a first line of defense against cyberattacks.
Connect to a Secure Network 
Connecting to an “open” wi-fi access point may be a simple process, but a lack of even the most basic security measures can make connected users ideal targets for cybercriminals. Attackers are able to use software that skim data transmitted over this open connection, harvesting valuable information that puts you and your company at risk.
Additionally, some even create their own wi-fi access points that mimic the “legitimate” access point. For instance, the official wi-fi access point for your apartment complex may be “Apartment_Access” while a hacker’s replicate signal may be “Apartment_Wi-Fi”. Once connected to the malicious network, you’ll still be able to access the internet and perform your tasks. However, all the while, every keystroke is being logged and your data is being captured.
While employees should always connect to a company-provided VPN if possible, connecting on a private, password-protected network is always safer than an open connection.
Install the Latest Updates 
Installing the latest software updates provide you with the latest optimizations, features, and security enhancements. Keeping all software up-to-date with the latest updates patches potential exploits and bugs that cybercriminals are always looking to take advantage of. Additionally, many IT administrators refuse to allow any company VPN network connections from computers that haven’t received the latest updates.
Enable Endpoint Management 
Working remotely has the potential to cause headaches when technical difficulties strike. A decade ago, remote technical support was slow and only provided basic functionality to the Technical Support Specialist. However, modern endpoint management provides the ability to remotely connect to machines throughout your organization to troubleshoot problems and update software from one central IT resource. With this capability, any potential difficulties are easily tackled by contacting one of SeedSpark’s on-call Technical Support Specialists.
Learn More About Implementing SeedSpark’s Endpoint Management in Your Organization
These are just a few of the many steps that can be taken towards improving internet security and enhancing the protection of your network while working from home. SeedSpark is an industry-leading provider of proactive managed services. Our team is ready to help evaluate your current business processes and then implement the right technology to ensure that your entire team is ready and able to work productively and securely from home.
