As a new facet of the ITAD industry, remote support is a value-added service that became necessary when remote working was thrust into the spotlight during the pandemic. Working from home has continued to be a popular method. However, hackers are evolving alongside technology, and a remote environment often makes IT assets more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Businesses typically provide IT equipment for employees, such as laptops, computers, phones, tablets, and printers, Many remote workers prefer to use their personal devices while working from home. Corporations often have cybersecurity measures in place, but many remote workers do not consider taking the same precautions when working off personal devices, and hackers are becoming more challenging to identify. Fortunately, there are ways to protect data even in a remote environment, and proactive steps can be taken to prevent data breaches.
Stay Proactive
First, and arguably the easiest thing to do, is to keep your software up to date. Utilizing the Automatic Updates feature will help prevent forgetfulness and ensure devices are updated regularly. Using secure browsers that frequently receive security updates, such as Firefox or Chrome, is another way to ensure safety online.
Change passwords periodically. Using password managers to create strong passwords is one way to safeguard against passwords that may be easy to guess. It’s easy to use the same or similar passwords for everything, but one password means one key to all of your personal information and accounts.
Phishing scams are evolving and becoming more challenging to spot, especially using personal devices with emails cluttered with spam. Beware of suspicious emails and links prompting you to visit webpages that may contain viruses or enable hackers to access your accounts, especially if emails or texts are unusual for the company.
Cybersecurity at Home
It is easy to think your personal devices are less of a target than corporate IT equipment. Still, cyberattacks are just as prevalent for remote employees, mainly because security is often an afterthought at home.
Unfortunately, passwords and safe browsers only go so far. Data protection is the primary component of cybersecurity and can be achieved in several ways in a remote environment. First, keeping security information such as Social Security numbers, bank account information, or health information off computers and other electronic devices ensures protection and privacy. Many of today’s applications require some level of personal information to use the app, in this case, safely remove personal data immediately when it is no longer needed or employ data encryption when handling sensitive information.
Many computers and phones become susceptible to viruses if not properly updated and protected. One way to combat losing information to viruses is by installing antivirus or anti-malware protection from a trusted source and keeping the programs up-to-date to ensure they remain effective.
Another data protection tip is to keep your information backed up in case of a security breach that may result in data erasure and reinstallation of software. Backing up data ensures no critical information is lost even after a data breach.
Another responsibility of working from home is finding a place to recycle used, old IT hardware once it has reached the end of its useful life. ITAD providers like HOBI help provide end-of-use services for retired IT assets for companies with a remote workforce. These services include safe strategies for safe and quick collection, evaluation, and equipment redeployment on our clients’ behalf.
For more information about our ITAD services, call 877-814-2620 or contact HOBI at sales@hobi.com.