Direct Connections: Smart Computer Security Measures for Remote Workers

In the blink of an eye, workers across the United States went from commuting to an office every morning to not even leaving their homes making a much shorter trip to their homes. This rapid shift to remote work caused many companies to rush plans for remote work solutions. But did those plans include protecting company data? How companies can protect themselves from cyberattacks in this new remote working environment is a critical conversation, and one Direct Connections took on with Dan Holland, Marketing Manager at IHSE.

“Having the right hardware and software in place is only part of the solution for safety measures, securing computers and intellectual property,” Holland said about in regards to protection against cyberattacks and malware. “As more and more companies are allowing these work-at-home options for the employees, these attacks are just increasing dramatically.”

Cybercrimes are up because the criminals know that remote workers are not cyber professionals. There is a strong likelihood home desktops and laptops will not be protected at the same level as a company office. And the best thing companies can do is develop a plan to protect themselves at a remote and local level.

“You need to come up with a cybersecurity awareness and training plan that you can educate your employees on all of these common threats,” Holland explained. Threats such as email phishing scams are essential for employees to understand and recognize. “Roughly 91% of all cyberattacks right now are coming through emails.”

Sometimes even simple preventive measures can provide security. When not in use, Holland said he unplugs his desktop computer from the internet connection or turns his computer off.