Work-From-Home Security

As businesses across the country continue to adjust their operations, many companies are maintaining remote work setups for their employees.

Working remotely presents new challenges for any team, especially when it comes to security. In order to protect your company's confidential information as work extends beyond the traditional office space, keep these guidelines in mind.

1. Secure your home networks.

Home internet networks don’t usually have the same rigorous security settings as office networks. As a remote employee, it is crucial to properly secure your home networks with encryption and password protection. Home networks should also have a unique name that doesn’t contain any personally identifying information.

Additionally, consider that if multiple devices are connected to your home network, such as streaming services, phones and other family members’ laptops, this could slow down internet speed during the workday.

2. Avoid using work devices for personal tasks.

As employees adjust to working remotely, the lines between work life and home life might start to blur. You should refrain from using work-issued devices for personal activities like checking social media, watching streaming sites, online banking, or online shopping. To keep sensitive company information and passwords secure, remote employees should only use their personal devices for these activities.

For extra protection, make an effort not to reuse your personal passwords on work accounts and follow best practices for creating secure passwords.

3. Take extra precautions with confidential information.

If you work with sensitive data such as bank account numbers, social security numbers or other personally identifying details, it's advisable to securely store physical documents in a locked cabinet at the end of each workday. Keep laptops, phones and other work devices password protected, and remember to log off whenever you walk away from your screen.

Sensitive information should only be accessed from a work-issued device—ideally from a secure VPN (virtual private network) or a company-approved cloud service, rather than a local device. Always communicate with your company's executives and IT department to determine what software is best for you.