During these uncertain times it is recommended to work from home as much as possible. Many employers offer this possibility to employees, but there are also risks involved. With the tips below, working from home is as safe as possible.
Secure VPN connection
It is important to use a secure connection when you want to use your organisation’s systems and documents. It is advisable to use a secure VPN connection with which you log on to your organisation’s server. It is also recommended to use a Multifactor Authentication (MFA) for access to the network or other applications as much as possible. Research Manager supports this.
Many organisations have services and applications linked to the company network, so that only one login is required to use the various linked services. We also support this with our Single Sign On solution. In addition, it is of course important to use strong passwords, so that it becomes more difficult to crack passwords.
Making video calls and sending messages
Working from home is different from working in the office. A short question or a face-to-face conversation or meeting is out of the question. There are various solutions to make this digitally possible, but it is important that the right applications are used. If your organisation does not offer secure chat or video call applications, be careful with the things you discuss and/or share via consumer services such as FaceTime, Skype or WhatsApp. While care is paramount, privacy and data protection remain essential.
Phishing
It is well known that cybercriminals are taking advantage of the corona crisis. For example, many fake e-mails are sent with which they try to steal information or install viruses on your computer. Be aware of this risk and do not click on links in e-mail messages, do not open unknown attachments and do not enter any details in e-mails you do not expect or from unknown senders.
Want to know more? For more information, please visit this page of the National Cyber Security Centre.
