Be Cyber Secure When Working from Home

In 2022, CISA reported that, “Every organization in the United States is at risk from cyber threats that can disrupt essential services and potentially result in impacts to public safety.” Businesses face significant financial loss when a cyberattack occurs. Cybercriminals often rely on human error—employees failing to install software patches or clicking on malicious links—to gain access to systems. From the top leadership to the newest employee, cybersecurity requires the vigilance of everyone to keep data, customers, and capital safe and secure.

• Use only approved tools. Only use organization-approved software and tools for business, including company-provided or approved video conferencing and collaboration tools to initiate and schedule meetings. Unapproved free tools may make your system vulnerable, so check in with your Information Technology (IT) team before using them on your work computer.
• Secure your meetings. Take precautions to ensure your virtual meetings are only attended by intended individuals. Plan for what to do if a public meeting is disrupted. • Secure your information. Tailor your security precautions appropriately to the sensitivity of your data. Only share data necessary to accomplish the goals of your meeting.
• Secure yourself. Take precautions to avoid unintentionally revealing business and personal information. Ensure home networks are secured.

KNOW YOUR CYBER BASICS

• Treat business information as personal information. Business information typically includes a mix of personal and proprietary data. While you may think of trade secrets and company credit accounts, it also includes employee personally identifiable information (PII) through tax forms and payroll accounts. Do not share PII with unknown parties or over unsecured networks.

• Don’t make passwords easy to guess. As “smart” or data-driven technology evolves, it is important to remember that security measures only work if employees use them correctly. Smart technology runs on data, meaning devices such as smartphones, laptop computers, wireless printers, and other devices are constantly exchanging data to complete tasks. Take proper security precautions and ensure correct configuration to wireless devices in order to prevent data breaches.

• Stay up to date. Keep your software updated to the latest version available as per your organization’s guidelines. Talk to your organization’s IT team about turning on automatic updates, so you don’t have to think about it, and set your security software to run regular scans