As winter is here, at least in the southern states of Australia, many equity principals, partners or directors and their employees look forward to escaping the cold weather and a well-deserved break. However, high achievers are known to do a little work on holiday. Unfortunately, studies show that working outside the office, whether on holiday, from a local coffee shop, or even business travellers out on work trips, can lead to significant cyber security issues. If you or your employees plan on answering urgent emails or checking in on matters or files while on holiday, it's essential to maintain strong cyber security best practices to avoid exposing the firm network to hackers preying nearby. In this blog post, we'll cover what cyber security best practices for remote workers must be implemented so that you and your team can get your work done and enjoy your holiday without worrying about suffering a data breach and the associated lost money, lost time and damaged reputation they cause.
Why Cyber Security Matters While Travelling
For business travellers, the need to stay connected to the office is a reality of the digital age, and our handheld devices make it easy. But with this constant connectivity comes an increased risk of cyber threats. Whether you’re using a public Wi-Fi network in the lobby or accessing sensitive files from your hotel room, you can expose your firm to hackers, malicious software, and other cyber risks.
Cyber criminals know how this works! They understand that people are more likely to let their guard down while on holiday. They know you’re more focused on enjoying your time off than ensuring your devices are secure. This situation makes travellers an attractive target for cyber criminals, who can use a variety of tactics to compromise your data, such as phishing emails, fake websites, and man-in-the-middle attacks.
To minimise the risk of a cyberattack while traveling, here are a few best practices to cover with your team:
- Use A Virtual Private Network (VPN): A VPN encrypts your internet connection, ensuring your data is secure even when using public Wi-Fi networks. Before you leave, set up a VPN that you or your firm own, on your devices and use it whenever you're online. Unfortunately, many of the ones you see advertised for cheap, on the Internet, are either selling your data or could be run or infiltrated by cyber criminals.
- Keep Your Devices Updated: Before leaving for holiday, update your devices to the latest software and security patches. Outdated software can leave you vulnerable to cyberattacks, so staying current is essential.
- Be Wary Of Public Wi-Fi: Although convenient, public Wi-Fi networks can be a hotbed for cybercriminal activity. Avoid using these networks whenever possible. Yes, that means no checking your email poolside unless you have first connected to a VPN controlled by your firm.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Using 2FA adds an extra layer of security to your accounts by requiring a second form of verification, such as a text message code, push message on your mobile device or fingerprint scan. Make sure to enable 2FA for all of your critical accounts before you depart.
- Beware Of Phishing Attempts: Cyber criminals often target travellers with phishing emails, which are designed to trick you into revealing sensitive information. Be cautious of any emails you receive while on holiday, and never click on suspicious links or download unfamiliar attachments.
- Secure Your Devices: Physically secure your devices by always keeping them with you and never leaving them unattended in public places. Additionally, enable password protection, biometric authentication when applicable, and remote wiping capabilities in case your device is lost or stolen.
Travelling for business or pleasure doesn't mean you should compromise on cyber security. Following these best practices can reduce the risk of a data breach or other cyber security issue while away from the office. However, it's important to know that these steps aren't infallible. To truly ensure that your firm's cyber security measures are up to par, you need to work with a qualified IT team that can monitor your systems 24/7 for signs of hacker activity, patch any software bugs that pop up (which happen regularly), and can alert you if something goes wrong.
To help you prepare for your holiday and have peace of mind knowing your firm or business is secure while you or your employees are working remotely, click here to schedule a free IT risk assessment with our experts today. We'll evaluate your current cybersecurity measures, identify potential vulnerabilities, and help you implement a strategic security plan to keep your biggest income generating asset, your firm safe.
My Info Tech Partner is a trusted IT Services and IT Support provider in Perth that specialises in helping the equity principals, partners, directors, and practice managers of legal, accounting and financial services firms from making big expensive mistakes with technology and ultimately, protect their livelihood.
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