Working From Home — Ultimate Security Tips for a Safe Home Office

Working from home is nothing new. For many years, some companies have had telecommuting policies to let staff work partly from home. Many freelance workers regularly work remotely from a home office. But the global health pandemic of 2020 sent millions of workers out of offices and forced them to work from home.

Many studies have found that working from home (WFH) has many practical benefits. Gone is the gruelling daily commute, dealing with workplace politics, and having your boss breathe down your neck. Also, research suggests that productivity increases when employees can work from home. Of course, there are challenges when working in a home office.

But one of the biggest concerns for telecommuters is keeping sensitive data safe. Home office security is critical to prevent data breaches. Typically, companies have security controls in the office and strict policies on securing and protecting client data. However, in a home office environment, there may be fewer or less robust cybersecurity safeguards.

In this article, you’ll find tips on keeping your home work environment safe and secure.

The Risks of Working in a Home Office

It’s crucial to identify the possible ways someone could access sensitive data if you’re a WFH employee. For example, children could log on to work computers if they are not password-protected. Or paper copies of sensitive information may get lost. Then there are risks of using unsecured Wi-Fi networks or digital personal assistants such as Alexa.

Related reading: Reclaim your life with work-life balance.

How to Reduce Security Risks of Working From Home

The first step to securing digital information in a home office is to follow standard security procedures. This means installing the latest software updates, using anti-virus software, never sharing passwords with anyone, and not clicking on links in emails—even if they seem from legitimate sources.

If you work from home, there is more needed to ensure that sensitive information stays safe.

Here are some security tips to make a home office as secure as possible.

1. Use two-factor identification

Multifactor identification is one way to secure personal and company data. Two-factor identification doesn’t just rely on passwords, which can be easily hacked, stolen, or leaked. Using two forms of identification means that you log in to accounts with your password and a mobile app or biometrics.

Related reading: How to prevent your business from being hacked.

2. Use strong passwords to increase security

It’s best to use strong passwords to prevent hackers from gaining access to your home or work computer. Ideally, a strong password should be 12 to 16 characters long and use a combination of numbers, upper and lowercase letters, and special characters.

Top tip to increase home office security: Use a password manager such as LastPass to generate strong passwords and securely store passwords.

3. Avoid working on personal devices

When working from home, it’s vital only to use your work-issued laptop or mobile device for work. So, you should secure the device with a strong password to prevent family members from using your work computer. Also, it’s best to avoid logging on to personal devices to do any work. This is the best way to ensure that you protect sensitive data.

4. Use a VPN to encrypt data

The chances are that your company uses a Virtual Private Network if it has a WFH policy. Always connect to the internet using the VPN to make sure that all your connections are encrypted. This way, scammers can’t intercept your data or misuse it.

5. Secure your physical workspace

In addition to securing your digital workspace, it’s equally important to make sure your home office is physically secure. Probably, the office where you work has a robust security system with scan-to-enter security. While it’s not practical to do something similar at home, it’s crucial to think about home office security.

For example, keep sensitive information and documents in a secure place where family members or intruders can’t access them. You should also take steps to protect expensive computer equipment

6. Use a company-approved cloud storage solution

Most companies that allow employees to work from home use cloud storage. Storing sensitive data in a centralised location online reduces the risk of a data breach. If your company uses OneDrive, Google Drive, or something similar, it’s vital to use it. Also, follow company guidelines on storing company files on your laptop’s hard drive or other storage devices.

Working From Home - In Conclusion

There are many benefits to working from home. However, security is essential to protect sensitive company data from getting into the wrong hands.