While many businesses and industries are struggling financially due to the COVID pandemic, there is one industry that is expected to make over $6 trillion in 2021. What industry is that? Cybercrime.
We saw a huge rise in cybercrime incidents in the spring, when businesses started to transition to a work from home model. Due to the unprecedented nature of this shift, many security measures were overlooked, and it led to a significant number of data breaches. As winter approaches and more companies are going back to a work from home model, we wanted to help ensure that you are taking the right precautions to keep your data secure.
Be very wary of any emails that don’t look right
Phishing scams are the #1 way that hackers are able to access your network. One wrong click on a bad link by ANYONE in your company can allow the hackers access to all of your sensitive data. If you’re not sure if the link is legitimate, then don’t click it. Additionally, don’t download any attachments unless you’re sure of the sender. There are a lot of email addresses out there that look very similar to legitimate ones, so you really have to pay attention to who is sending it. Also consider the content of the email itself. Would your CEO really be emailing you asking for your bank account information? That seems highly suspicious. And when in doubt, you can always call the person that the email is allegedly from the verify that they did send it to you.
Ensure that your computers are safe and secured at home
With many employees working from home, the risk of a hacker accessing company data through an insecure network connection is exponentially higher. Wi-Fi passwords alone are not going to keep computers safe. But there are a few things you can do to ensure a more secure home working environment. First of all, whenever possible, make sure that your employees are not using their personal computers or mobile devices to work. If you have the capacity to provide your employees with their own company-owned devices, then you have more control of what is accessible. Second, make sure that every computer has a firewall and antivirus software set up and that it is regularly updated. Finally, utilize a VPN (virtual private network) when connecting your work computer to the internet. A VPN provides an extra level of encryption and security to stop hackers from accessing sensitive information.
Utilize stronger passwords and multi-factor authentication
While most people are aware that using “password” as their password is a bad idea. But even with more complex passwords, there are still risks. For many people, they utilize the same password for multiple sites to make them easier to remember. There is also risks by saving your passwords in your browser so you can automatically log in. Your browser can easily be hacked as well and those passwords will be exploited and used to access your sensitive data. Avoid using words that people could guess, like the name of your pet or your spouse. If you have the capacity to enable multi-factor authentication, or MFA, make sure to utilize that for an extra layer of protection. If you think your password is too secure for anyone to guess, think again. The evolution of cybercrime means that what might have been secure even a month ago might not be as secure anymore.
While the rise in cybercrime has been steady, utilizing effective security procedures like this will help to keep your network, and your data, safe and secure. The experts at TAG Solutions have helps hundreds of companies transition their employees to a safe and secure work from home experience. Contact us today and learn how we can help you too.