Savvy Security Tips for Remote Workers (and Schoolers)
It’s official: the world has changed, and now employees and students alike are left to change with it. Working and schooling remotely has created and will continue to create new challenges, from IT issues to turning kitchens into offices and classrooms–but if you’re worried about how to stay secure (and sane) through all the uncertainty, here are a few simple tips to help you out.
Coexisting
The first and most noticeable challenge we’re facing in this “new normal” is the need to coexist. Working remotely while the kids are doing online school at the other end of the kitchen island can create problems you’ve never had to face before. The offices and schools we took for granted less than a year ago, outfitted with corporate security solutions and high-level efficiency tools, are now a fond memory of the past. We’re left to navigate working, schooling, and living–all entirely from the couch.
The good news is that we’re all learning new ways to adapt to our complicated environments, overcome stay-at-home challenges, and keep ourselves and our data safe from security threats. Take, for example, IT security. It doesn’t look the same anymore, sure, but things like backup and recovery or cloud services have never been more critical. It’s all about taking old solutions, making them new again, and utilizing them for all your unique needs–remote work and online school included.
Security Tips for a New World
Ready to take control of your work life and school year? Here are a few security tips that will keep you safe and make your stay-at-home life just a little bit easier.
For employees
- Get smart.
Digital bad-guys aren’t taking a holiday. Coronavirus-themed phishing emails are a brand-new threat to look out for–so, like at the office, keep an eye out for suspicious messages or senders in your work account.
- Use encryption.
Encryption helps cover any weak points that your home network might have. It keeps sensitive and professional data secure while making your network less of a target.
- Use passwords.
It’s simple advice, but it goes a long way when working remotely. Every device and network should have a complicated password–ideally a phrase or randomized string of characters rather than an easily-guessed word or date.
For students
- Create a routine.
Schools provided a solid routine for students, but without that structure, some kids can fall behind. Help your online learners create a routine that fits their needs (and keeps them out of the home office when you’re trying to work!). Remember to schedule breaks and meal-times, too.
- Get them started.
Before you head to the home office or the couch yourself, help kids get started on schoolwork. Ensure they’re logged in, working on specific tasks, and confident about what they need to do (and when to do it).
- Keep an eye on IT security.
Remember, IT security isn’t extinct–it just looks different. Help kids make secure choices online because if they run into any trouble now, it’s your home/work/school network on the line.
For coexisting
- Use parental controls.
If you’re working remotely, then you’re probably sitting just feet from the kids–but that doesn’t mean you have time to keep an eye on what they’re up to. Use parental controls to set limits on access and functions so kids have the freedom they need, but not too much.
- Create separate user accounts.
Every user on your device should have a separate account. This helps keep everything organized, sure–but it also keeps sensitive information, or twenty-page English reports from accidentally getting moved, deleted, or sent out.
Looking for more IT security tips to keep yourself and your data safe while working remotely, schooling remotely, and living remotely? Contact us today!
