Working at home is today’s new normal. However, this presents cyber risks and challenges. Boosting endpoint cyber security can help mitigate the risks involved.
In this post, let us discover the best practices of endpoint cyber security while working at home.
Endpoint Cyber Security Best Practices
1. Educate yourself
Review the security of your system and its applications. Ensure that you have up-to-date security software installed on your system.
Ensure that your PC is not infected with any malware. Get rid of any malicious software present on your system.
2. Update your software regularly
Keep all of your software updated. This will help keep malicious software at bay.
3. Beware when downloading files online.
Be cautious when downloading files from the Web. Avoid downloading files from unreliable sources. If possible, download files directly from the developer’s website.
4. Protect your device with strong passwords.
Password protects your PC if it’s not password protected already. It will prevent anyone who gains physical access to it from accessing your data.
Have a strong and secure password to protect your wireless network and its data. Avoid using easy-to-guess passwords.
5. Set a regular data backup schedule.
Back up your data frequently and store the backup in a secure location that is not easily accessible to everyone in the household or at work. You can use an external hard disk or an online backup service provider to store data securely.
Keep this device away from public access areas like living rooms, kitchens, or hallways to safeguard against theft or loss of data in case someone takes it without your knowledge. Use strong passwords to safeguard the backup files against unauthorized access attempts by hackers or malware programs.
6. Avoid sharing of devices.
Do not share your device with other people unless you want to share your data with them as well.
7. Make sure that you have a strong and secure network.
Use a firewall and anti-virus software to safeguard your network from malicious attacks. Use a wireless firewall if you are using a wireless Internet connection. This will help prevent malicious attacks from infecting your wireless network and the connected devices such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones connected to it.
Install antivirus software on all connected devices as well. Scan your laptop for malware or viruses before connecting it to the wireless network. Install antivirus software on all devices that connect to the network regularly. This will help protect all connected devices from malware and virus attacks and keep them safe from harm.
8. Use VPNs when working remotely.
Make use of secure communications like Virtual Private Networks (VPN) or SSH. If you need to connect remotely to your workplace network or access public networks like Wi-Fi hotspots, make use of secure communication methods like Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) or Secure Shell (SSH).
These will help encrypt the data transmitted over the Internet, making it difficult for hackers to intercept it and access sensitive information like passwords or credit card numbers. SSH is more secure than VPNs as it uses asymmetric encryption keys for authentication rather than the single set of login credentials required by VPNs.
However, SSH is easier to crack than VPNs if the attacker gets access to the encryption key being used by the user for authentication with his/her server. Use strong passwords to safeguard sensitive information against unauthorized access attempts by hackers or malware programs.
Conclusion: You Can Protect Yourself!
To protect yourself, be careful online. You can consider the above-mentioned points to safeguard your data and prevent malicious attacks on your PC.
