A growing number of workplaces offer hybrid options, letting people split their time between company offices and their locations of choice. Such plans bring more worker flexibility, but they can raise cybersecurity and data privacy risks too.
An employee may choose to work in a crowded place where someone could easily look over their shoulder and learn proprietary information. Additionally, people who can clock in from outside the workplace may unintentionally forget best security practices that they follow without thinking while at the office.
Here’s how to stay safe while carrying out hybrid work.
Consider Using a Password Manager
Relying on a password manager can help a person maintain high productivity regardless of where they are. Going through the steps to reset a password can often take several minutes, disrupting the workflow.
Complications can also result if a person working remotely needs to contact an employer-managed help desk to reset their password.
In one case, hackers posed as employees of video game company Electronic Arts (EA). Doing that allowed them to request and receive password assistance that enabled a company breach.
However, password managers can eliminate situations where people forget their login details and need new ones. Some offerings also suggest automatically generated passwords to users before storing those details in the system. Then people can break the bad habit of choosing credentials that others can easily guess.
Maintain Confidentiality Practices
Many duties occurring in hybrid environments require people to handle highly regulated Personally Identifiable Information (PII). However, research indicates that more than half of remote workers had not received new guidelines for working with PII outside of the office.
Consider taking it upon yourself to ask a supervisor or IT leader about different practices to follow on the days you work remotely. Bring up any recent instances where you felt uncertain about working with PII or had questions arise.
Otherwise, follow common sense. For example, it’s not ideal to leave your laptop unattended and unlocked while ordering a drink at a busy Starbucks.
Use One Computer Regardless of Work Location
Cybercriminals often target remote workers. One reason for this is that people working off-site frequently depend on personal computers for work tasks. Employees may have also let family members or friends use those devices.
The increasingly blurred lines between on- and off-site workplaces may mean that people use out-of-date or virus-filled computers as hybrid employees.
Statistics show that an estimated 40 percent of businesses will accommodate workers getting stuff done from anywhere by 2023. Company leaders who want to make that happen should be more open to investing in laptops that people can use whether their schedules have them off-site or in the office.
If your employer has not taken that step, think about making your computer off-limits to anyone but you. Kindly but firmly explain to people that it’s one of the most practical things you can do to boost work security during a hybrid arrangement.
Be Careful When Choosing Public Workspaces
Flexible working hours and a better work-life balance are some of the numerous benefits of hybrid arrangements. However, downsides exist too. One potential issue is that a person may have trouble finding a suitable place to work that offers stable internet access.
Public Wi-Fi is seemingly everywhere. That sounds like a good thing for hybrid work. However, public connections are not necessarily secure. Hackers can exploit them and may even create fake networks that mimic the real ones.
Also, some public Wi-Fi providers require users to provide emails or agree to receive marketing emails before getting access.
Think about using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that encrypts your connection over public Wi-Fi connections.
It’s also wise to change your device settings to not automatically connect when near an open internet access point. That way, you’ll have more control over how and when you go online.
Keep Communication Channels Open With Your Workplace
Many love the option of hybrid work. Spending more time away from the office can give people more freedom, but it can make them feel overwhelmed at times too. That’s particularly true if workers lack the necessary support for working elsewhere.
Exploring communication platforms and methods with your supervisor can make you better equipped for the challenges of varied environments. Staying in touch with your company aligns with better work security as well.
For example, many IT leaders use software to detect if someone accesses company resources from an unusual location. Forgetting to tell your employer you’ll work from New York for two weeks while caring for an ill relative could flag such tools if you normally reside in Virginia.
Options for reaching out to people at work when necessary can also assist you in evaluating potential scams. If you receive a suspicious email, it’s great to have the ability to immediately contact someone in the IT department by an instant messenger or on the phone to get their assessment.
Maintain Work Security From Anywhere
Today’s increasingly distributed workforce makes it crucial for people to be more aware of their actions and how they could improve or degrade cybersecurity. Besides following these suggestions, talk to your boss about your specific hybrid work concerns related to where you plan to work when away from the office.