What are the cyber risks while working from home and how to prevent those risks?

Over the years technology continues to grow at a rapid rate, it is amazing how much it has changed over the past decades but it can be alarming as well. Technology is a wonderful thing that gives us all sorts of benefits that weren’t possible before. Today, for our relationships, work schedules, and business decisions, we not only make use of technology tools but we often rely on them, and this opens the door to the compromise we need to make.

“But remember, nothing comes without a price. Our paths are not mapped; they’re made.” Says Priya Ardis, the Author of My Boyfriend Merlin.

With everyone using the internet and the technology tools, it makes it easy for the intrepid hackers to access the reams of sensitive information which led to many organizations being exposed to a range of cyber risks, the risk from data theft, and ransomware to corporate infiltration. The scary part is we may not even know about it.

What is Cybercrime?

Cybercrime is any type of illegal activity involving computing against a digital target or a crime in which a computing system is used to commit criminal offenses. Cybercrime includes such disparate sorts of activities as data theft- the most common types of cybercrime, the use of computer communications to commit fraud, or the ransoming of systems via digital means.

What is Cyber Risk?

Risk is commonly defined as a threat, a threat from intrepid hackers who can launch cyber-attacks through the exploitation of vulnerabilities. Vulnerabilities in both hardware and software that can be exploited such as unpatched software, unsecured access points, misconfigured systems, and so on. This leaves us open to a variety of cybercrimes, with consequences ranging from a loss of sensitive data to a disruption in a corporate network to physical electronic damage. Exposure to these risk factors can also come as organizations affect the customer base, reputation, financial standing, and regulatory good standing.

What are the cyber risks while working from home?

Today with the pandemic outbreak many businesses, schools, and other organizations are adapting to work from home, to stay home, or use online learning to prevent the spread of the Covid-19.

We are seeing an unprecedented number of remote users on home and public internet services accessing their employer resources. This opens up a myriad of risks that can be exploited from disgruntled employees downloading sensitive files to opportunistic hackers accessing the company network over the unsecured home or public Wi-Fi signals.

“These efforts(Remote workplace) may be prudent and advisable, but can inadvertently heighten the risk of data breaches or other cyber incidents, which in turn can lead to substantial financial loss, reputational harm, and legal exposure,” explains Paul Weiss in an article “Coronavirus/COVID-19 Update.”

They may often not as attuned to cyber-attacks as they would be in the office environment and IT security may be compromised in a remote working setting. For example, while working from home an employee may transfer or share files through unapproved cloud-storage or file-sharing solutions, exposing the data to loss and discovery.

How to prevent from Cyber Attack?

Most assume that intrepid hacker targets only big companies with deep pockets but the truth is that seven out of ten companies, big or small suffer attacks. So, steps we can take to prevent our organizations against such attacks while working from home:

Training

Educate ourselves on how to recognize cyber-attacks, operate, and react.

Don’t Click

Not to click any links in emails or to download files if it seems to be suspicious or not sure of.

A Strong and Secret Password

Secure online account with strong passwords, if needed it is better to create a password with a password generator. Not to share passwords or personal information online unless it is certain that we are dealing with a safe web site.

Multi-Factor Authentication

Sometimes strong passwords are not enough. So, we should make use of multi-factor authentication or two-factor authentication wherever possible.

System Up To Date

Keeping all the software up to date so there are fewer weaknesses and more difficulties for the hackers to exploit.

A Backup

Having a backup of our files ensures that we can be back to normal in no time if preventing ourselves didn’t work as we planned or prepared for.

Conclusion

Thousands of cyber-attacks happen each day. Cybercriminals do not stay stagnant; they are constantly looking for new ways to access sensitive information. Security management is critical, but it’s not guaranteed. So, we need to constantly look for new ways to protect our organization, ensure that we remain one step ahead.

What are the cyber risks while working from home and how to prevent those risks?
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