Keeping your data safe while

working from homeYour guide to keeping your data secure when

working remotely

IntroductionThis guide provides information about ensuring your data security while working from home. Working from home is, for the time being, the new norm for many people. That brings many new things to deal with, not least of all adjusting to the change in routine. Working away from your colleagues and your normal office location means many changes – the way you work, the way you communicate, and the resources you have available so you can carry out the tasks you need to keep productive. Our guide will help you stay secure while you work remotely, and it can also help you improve your family’s online security too.

Your home network

Keep your data safe

Password Managers

A few things you might not have thought about

Using your own PC

You are your own best security

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You are your own best securityRegardless of your organisation’s IT policies, technology alone is not enough to protect you. Cyber attackers will be looking to take advantage of the increase in people working from home, and will target individuals more so than networks and organisations.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has become an attractive proposition for cyber criminals, who are targeting our fears and emotional connection to this global issue. This increases the likelihood of people falling victim to phishing attacks, so it is essential that you are vigilant to anything that doesn’t look genuine. The best approach is that if you’re not sure, check. If you can’t check, don’t click the links, download or open any attachments, or respond to the email in any way.

Some things to look out for include:• Fake phone calls from people claiming to be from your organisation, 3rd party providers, or even customers or suppliers, asking you to provide information that gives them access to your system, or asking for you to give them control ofyourcomputersotheycancheckorfixan“issue”.

• Phishing emails are designed to make you click links or open attachments, and have become more sophisticated in their appearance. See our tips for spotting malicious emails on thenextpage.

• Fearware preys on people’s fears over the current situation. Forexample,asiteofferinga“Coronavirustracker”could potentially infect your device with malicious software that could steal data or lock you out of your systems. There has been an increase in the number of domains being registered with Coronavirus / COVID-19 names, so be wary of interacting with any sites using these terms.

Your home network

Keep your data safe

Password Managers

A few things you might not have thought about

Using your own PC

You are your own best security

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Your home network

Keep your data safe

Password Managers

A few things you might not have thought about

Using your own PC

You are your own best security

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How to spot a malicious email• Always check the source of the email. The sender email address can be the easiest way to spot a phishing email if someoneyouknowhasbeen“impersonated”–doubleclicking on,or“hovering”themouseovertheaddresswillrevealthe actual email address.

• Check links before clicking. By again simply hovering your mouse over it, you’ll then see the destination URL - which gives you the opportunity to verify the domain legitimacy with internet search engines.

• Look for mistakes/ bad grammar. It can be common for phishing emails to contain spelling or grammatical errors, which can be a result of the attacker rushing to get their phishing emails sent quickly, or simply because the attacker has a poor understanding of the language being used.

• Be aware of the tactics used by attackers: the use of authority and urgency to scare you into taking action, or curiosity and desirability to lure you into seeking more information through actions within the email, or similarity and branding to make the email appear more trustworthy and believable.

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Your home networkMany people will be working from home using a wireless network connected to the Internet. Your wireless connection broadcasts signals that allow multiple devices to connect to the internet (think laptops, phones, tablets, smart-home devices, smart-speakers). When you connect a device to your Wi-Fi, you see other networks thatare“available”,forexampleyourneighbours’wirelessnetworks. Yours will also be visible, so it’s critical that you protect your home network with good security:

• Your administration password allows you to control andconfigurethesettingsforyourhomeinternetandwireless network. Make sure that you have changed it from the default password your internet service provider gave you when you set up your internet, and make sure that your admin password isdifferenttoyourotherpasswordsusedonthenetwork, forexamplethepasswordthatallowsdevicestoconnect to your Wi-Fi.

• Use strong passwords that are harder to guess. Best practice is to use a passphrase instead of a password. A passphrase is acombinationof3ormorewords–e.g.donutarmchaircandle –withafewaddednumbersandspecialcharacters.

Your home network

Keep your data safe

Password Managers

A few things you might not have thought about

Using your own PC

You are your own best security

Click below to quick jump

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Password ManagersUsing a password manager, such as LastPass, removes the need to commit a multitude of passwords to memory. Your passwords and other account information is stored in an encrypted format, and will be accessible with a master password, so only one to remember. Some password managers have browser connections so they can remember your online accounts and automatically update when you change any details.

If you can, enable two-factor or multi-factor authentication on your devices and accounts. This method uses two or three of thefollowingtoconfirmyouridentity–somethingyouare(afingerprint),somethingyouhave(acodesenttoamobiledeviceregistered to you) and something you know (a password). It’s easier to set up than you might think, and your IT team can recommend a service for you.

Your home network

Keep your data safe

Password Managers

A few things you might not have thought about

Using your own PC

You are your own best security

Click below to quick jump

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Using your own PCNot everyone will be able to use or have devices provided by work. If you do have to use your own PC, laptop or mobile device, your IT department may have already asked for permission to check that your system, software and security are up to date. If not, here are a few steps you can take to make sure you stay secure while working from home:

• Make sure your devices are running the latest versions of their respective operating systems, and your software and applications are up to date. This will help ensure that you are protected about known security issues as developers will have released updates and patches in the most recent releases.

• Check your virus and malware protection is active and up to date.

• Check your other devices that are connected to your wireless network–includinggamesconsoles,smart-speakers,smart- TVs,securitycameras–anythingthatneedstoconnecttothe Internet / WiFi to function. It’s not unheard of for hackers to findbackdoorstonetworksthroughdevicesthatmightnotbe obviousatfirstthought.

• If you need to download software to carry out your work, make sure that you’re downloading from the correct and verifiedsite.Therearemalicioussitesthatoffersoftware downloads–forexampleifyouneedtodownloadMicrosoft office,makesureyou’regettingthegenuinearticle.Anddon’t go for unknown alternatives.

Your home network

Keep your data safe

Password Managers

A few things you might not have thought about

Using your own PC

You are your own best security

Click below to quick jump

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Keep your data safeOnce you’ve sorted your devices and passwords, you need to think about how you’re actually going to share information with your customers, colleagues and suppliers. There are data protection considerations (don’t forget GDPR) as well as worst case scenario planning:

• Don’t store business critical data directly on your laptop or PC. Use a secure shared network drive if possible. This will not only protect your data if your laptop becomes damaged (spillages, drops and bumps) but will also allow your colleagues to access critical information should you fall ill or be unable to work for other reasons.

• Make sure that you can access the information you need to carry out your work. Your IT support team may be under pressure with additional requests from other remote workers during this time.

• File sharing should be done via a solution that’s approved byyourorganisation.Using3rdpartysiteslikeDropboxor WeTransfer to share data can be risky and security cannot be guaranteed. You may also fall foul of GDPR compliance if your data is transferred outside the EU. For guidance, speak to your IT or information security department.

• If you need to sharelargefiles,consideremailingthedata in batches directly to whoever you need to share it with and password protect anything you can.

Your home network

Keep your data safe

Password Managers

A few things you might not have thought about

Using your own PC

You are your own best security

Click below to quick jump

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A few things you might not have thought about• Don’t let your kids (or anyone else for that matter) use your workdevices–theymayaccidentallyinfectthem,ordelete or edit data.

• Make sure yourscreenisnotvisiblethroughwindows–use a privacy screen if necessary to minimise indirect viewing or simplydrawthecurtainsorpulldownablind–especially when you are not in your work area

• Your workplace has health and safety policies for your desk,chairandcomputeruse–trytosticktotheseasclosely as possible while you’re working from home. Have your screen at arm’s length away from you and try to have your screen at the right eye level for optimum comfort.

Your home network

Keep your data safe

Password Managers

A few things you might not have thought about

Using your own PC

You are your own best security

Click below to quick jump

9

www.theaccessgroup.com/cloud-hosting

For more useful information and guides to working from home:

The Access GroupThe Access Group has been recognised in The Sunday

Times Tech Track 100 in 2019 and is a leading provider of business software to mid-sized UK organisations. It helps more

than 32,000 customers across commercial and not-for-profit sectors become more productive and efficient. Its innovative

Access Workspace cloud platform transforms the way business software is used, giving every employee the freedom to do more.

Established in 1991, The Access Group, with an enterprise valuation of over £1billion, employs more than 2,300 staff.

For more information about The Access Group, visit: www.theaccessgroup.com

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