Security steps – working from home

5th January 2021

A lot has changed in the last two weeks, and I suspect in two weeks’ time we’ll be saying the same thing again! The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has been approved and the first people have received it; another lockdown has been implemented across the country; and the Brexit process has concluded.

One thing that hasn’t changed are the cyber security risks faced by individuals and businesses, and the amplification of those by the COVID-19 pandemic and the massive increase in working from home.

According to a report by Towergate Insurance, 65% of SMEs suffered a cyber attack in 2019/2020 (compared to 46% of all businesses on average). The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and McAfee found that the cost of cyber crime globally had increased by more than 50% in two years, and is now over 1% of global GDP.

So what can you do to reduce the risks that you, your friends and family, and your organisations face? We’ve set out ten key security steps that are designed to help you do just that.

1. Have a look at the security of your networks at home
2. Be on your guard for phishing emails
3. Strengthen your passwords
4. Be wary of Coronavirus-related material
5. Keep your systems up to date
6. Make sure you’re using good anti-malware
7. Increase the security of your connection to work
8. Check if the account you’re using has more privileges than it needs
9. Make sure devices and data are protected from theft and loss
10. Have a think about the policies and procedures you need

If you need help with any of this, we’re here! Just get in touch with us and we’ll work out together what the best approach will be.