It’s estimated that 18% of Americans currently work from home. There are many reasons for this gradual change from an on-site office to a home office. Most employees enjoy this new setup. They have more flexibility in their hours, save money on gasoline, and are less exposed to sick coworkers. However, working at home causes other concerns. One of which is the vulnerability of having lower internet security on home devices.
When employees work at their company’s office, a complex security network protects their computers. Once an employee steps outside of this network, they lose the protection it provides.
Phishing Emails
A lot of corporate communication arrives through email. Employees receive an average of over 100 business emails each day. When employees are receiving this many, it is easy to overlook a suspicious message. Cybercriminals send malicious emails disguised as official correspondence. Many of these are so well written, that most people don’t notice slight differences from official communication. Opening these messages and attachments invites viruses and malware onto your personal devices. According to David Walsh Bronxville, “Extremely malicious emails leading to fake websites are causing a tremendous amount of destruction.” Mobile devices are even more at risk because many people use roaming networks, and they don’t have more than basic security measures installed on their phones.
Web Conferencing Hackers
Working from home requires employees to conduct business meetings via video conferencing services. When most of these people are accessing the server from a home computer, there is a lack of network security. This opens the door for hackers to barge in and disrupt private meetings. This is referred to as Zoombombing. Corporate information is at risk of exposure when this occurs.
Protecting a Home Office
Even though cybercriminals have access to sophisticated resources, security software developers are leaping ahead with revolutionary solutions. David Walsh of Bronxville is the CEO of a company that is developing web threat isolation software. This software will help stop these problems before it reaches your computer, making it easier for people to protect their home-based offices.
Besides these types of software solutions, there are other things people can do to protect their computer system at home. Wi-fi networks need to be password protected, use a VPN to establish a secure IP address, and keep official business on a separate computer from one used for personal reasons. With all these resources available, working from home is becoming a safer option for many people.
