April 30, 2020
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Canadians are working from home. Cyber threat actors are always looking for ways to take advantage of security vulnerabilities, and it is important to keep your home cyber secure to prevent becoming a victim of cyber attacks.
Canadians are vulnerable to cyber attacks in which they may lose their identity, personal information and money.
As with any “bring your own device” working arrangement, it’s not just your own information that’s at risk; your organization’s information is also at risk.
To protect yourself and your organization while working from home, follow these tips.
Use anti-malware software
Malware – or malicious software – is a common method that cyber criminals use to steal information from victims. They trick you into downloading software or opening a file that looks legitimate but that is a malicious program that infects your systems and steals information from your device.
How can you protect yourself from malware? Use anti-malware software.
Organizations should have anti-malware software installed on work devices. If you can, use a work device when working from home.
If you’re using your own devices, then you should install anti-virus software. Be sure to run software updates as they are made available.
Upgrade your Wi-Fi security
Your home Wi-Fi network is another key component of making your home cyber secure. There are steps that you should take to secure your home wireless network.
One of the easiest ways to increase your home cyber security is to change your Wi-Fi password from the default that comes with your router. You should use a passphrase or strong password.
Beware of phishing and spearphishing scams
Spearphishing is similar to phishing, in that it is a message sent to trick users into disclosing personal data, but tends to be smaller in scale and well targeted. Cyber criminals can find specific information about a company or an employee to craft spearphishing attacks. Often, this information is available on company websites or social media accounts.
For example, a cyber criminal creates an email account to imitate a manager or colleague. Posing as a manager, the cyber criminal asks you to click a link, download software, or perform a task, such as buying gift cards and sending the numbers.
When working from home, we rely on email as our main form of communication. If you aren’t careful, you may be vulnerable to phishing scams.
Be diligent about double checking your emails. If you get a message that seems suspicious, think twice before opening an attachment, clicking a link, or responding.
Conclusion
Keeping your home cyber secure has always been important. But it’s never been more important than it is right now.
Follow these tips to keep your home cyber secure.