Covid-19, working from home and cyber security risks

Millions of employees across the country are working from home due to Covid-19, and this trend looks likely to continue as we modify the way we work. With technology at the heart of enabling people to work remotely, the cyber security of our data and systems has never been so important.

Recent news reports warn of a spike in cyber criminals targeting the healthcare industry during the pandemic. There has been a rise in email scams and hackers using Whatsapp messages linked to Coronavirus to gain access to passwords and systems.

Here are some simple cyber security tips for staff working from home:

• Staff awareness and training – Organisations should make sure staff are alert to Covid-19 phishing and social engineering techniques and the processes for reporting attacks. Regular cyber security training can keep staff aware of specific risks and keep good practice top of mind
• Wifi and access to systems – Policies should inform staff not to access work systems from public Wifi networks and make sure home internet connections are secure. Staff should check that the password on their router is strong
• Software updates – Devices should be running on the latest versions of software to avoid creating vulnerabilities in systems.

Find out more about Monmouth Partners’ cyber security training modules and vulnerability and penetration testing.