As remote working becomes more embedded in our daily lives in 2024, it’s no longer just a convenience—it’s how many of us live and work. From early mornings at the kitchen table to late-night emails in our home offices, we’ve come to embrace the flexibility of working from home. But with that flexibility comes a hidden threat that often goes unconsidered.
The challenges that remote workers face are evolving, with cyber threats becoming more sophisticated. From phishing scams to data breaches, the risks are constantly increasing, making it critical for businesses and individuals to stay ahead of the curve.
As the digital world continues to change, so do the techniques cybercriminals use. One slip—a weak password or skipping a software update—can have serious consequences. In this blog, we’ll share the best practices for keeping both personal and professional data safe while working remotely in 2024.
Why must home workers follow best practices for cyber security?
Remote workers must adhere to cyber security best practices to protect both personal and professional data. This is because remote work environments often lack the built-in security features of in-office networks. Here are four reasons why it’s essential to follow the correct cyber security practices whilst working from home:
- Increased exposure to cyber threats
Remote workers are more vulnerable to cyber threats like phishing, malware, and ransomware because they often rely on personal devices and home networks that may not have the same level of protection as corporate systems.
As home networks are more susceptible to hackers, make it a priority to secure your Wi-Fi connections, use strong passwords, and regularly update your software. These steps help to reduce the risk of network breaches.
- Protection of sensitive company data
Remote workers often handle sensitive data, such as customer information, financial records, and intellectual property. Cyber security practices help to prevent unauthorised access or breaches, which could cause significant financial and reputational harm to your company.
- Compliance
UK law requires businesses to follow data protection regulations such as GDPR. Remote workers must follow these regulations, and therefore you must ensure that your work-from-home setup meets the necessary security standards. Failure to do so may result in legal consequences.
- Security of personal data
Personal information, including passwords, financial information, and private communications, are also at risk. You can protect your data from identity theft and fraud by following industry best practices.
The best practices for home workers
Outlined below are the four most important cyber security practices to help home workers become resilient to cyber crime.
- Secure home networks
One of the most critical aspects of remote work security is the use of secure home networks.
In 2023, a survey found that 55% of UK remote workers were still using default passwords on their home routers. That’s equivalent to leaving your front door unlocked. Changing to a strong, unique password and making sure encryption is enabled on your router is one of the first steps to take to protect yourself. It’s simple, but it’s an essential move to keep personal and work data safe from cyber-attacks.
Alongside secure passwords, strong WI-FI encryptions are key. Home workers must ensure their network is protected by the latest encryption standards, WPA3. If WPA3 is unavailable, WPA2 is a viable alternative.
Encryption helps prevent unauthorised access to a network, ensuring that only trusted devices can connect. Home workers should also consider hiding network SSID’s (name), creating a guest network for visitors and disabling remote management features that allow outsiders to access the router.
- Use of virtual private networks (VPNs)
For home workers, using a VPN should be non-negotiable. A VPN creates a secure tunnel between a user’s device and their company’s network, ensuring that any sensitive information stays protected. In 2023, over 65% of UK businesses required their remote workers to use VPNs. Whether you’re working from a café or a shared space, you can be confident that your data is encrypted and shielded from prying eyes when connected through a VPN.
A VPN establishes a secure, encrypted tunnel between a device and the internet by masking IP addresses and encrypting all data sent between the device and the destination server. This creates a strong layer of security in a network, preventing sensitive work information, such as confidential client or personal data, from being intercepted by hackers.
- Regular software and system updates
In 2023, 40% of cyber-attacks in the UK exploited vulnerabilities that could’ve been patched with a simple update.
Software developers are constantly releasing updates to address these vulnerabilities. Since remote workers are not in the office to be reminded, it’s easy to delay these updates and leave systems vulnerable to cyber threats that could have been easily avoided.
All software – ranging from operating systems to applications used for communication and collaboration – should be kept up to date and have the latest security patches. This will reduce the risk of data breaches and service disruptions.
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Strong passwords are critical, but even the best passwords can be hacked. That’s why Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) should be used wherever possible. MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring the provision of additional verification beyond just a password. Businesses with MFA saw a 99% drop in phishing attacks in 2023, thanks to the extra barrier between accounts and potential threats.
MFA requires users to provide two or more verification factors before gaining access. These factors are usually divided into three categories: something you know (like a password), something you have (like a smartphone), and something you are (biometric verification such as fingerprints or facial recognition). This multi-layered approach makes it much more difficult for cybercriminals to gain unauthorised access because they must compromise multiple verification methods.
This is critical for remote workers who access company data and applications via multiple devices and locations. By implementing MFA, you can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorised access, even if a password is compromised. Furthermore, it can be integrated into the majority of services and applications, making it a simple yet effective security practice.
Working from home offers incredible flexibility, but it also requires more responsibility, especially when it comes to cyber security. Protecting yourself and your organisation from the invisible dangers of the digital world isn’t just a smart thing to do – it’s essential. By taking these simple steps, securing your home network, using a VPN, staying on top of updates, and enabling MFA, you’re doing your part to create a safer online environment.
By remaining vigilant and proactive in implementing these measures, we can ensure a safer digital landscape in 2024 and beyond.
Contact us today to learn more about how Net Defence can support your remote workers with cyber security.
