Working from home can be a convenience that allows you the freedom to be a little more loose with your work/life balance.
When working from home it’s crucial to protect yourself, your private data and your property.
Making security a priority can easily slip your mind when you’re managing multiple clients, employees, and deadlines within the confines of your home. Here are some tips and tricks to improve your home security.
Talk to your Broker
Your homeowner’s policy may not cover all of your business-related assets. Letting your Broker how often you work from home and the type of work you will be doing will ensure your business is adequately covered.
Install a monitored alarm system for added security
The majority of residential burglaries occur during the day when criminals assume homeowners will be at work. Install a monitored security system that will provide you with a live feed of your premises so you can be alerted of any unexpected visitors. Most smart security systems will also allow you to set off an audible alarm to scare off intruders and contact 911 directly through your monitoring app.
Encryption Software
Speak to an IT professional about utilizing an encryption program to scramble your sensitive information, making it unreadable to anyone without the encryption key.
Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Using a VPN secures your internet connection against hackers. Your ISP will also be able to secure your PC with additional features such as anti-malware protection and a firewall that can monitor your network traffic. Some internet plans include these additional security features, so talk to your internet service provider (ISP) for more information about securing your internet connection.
Password Managers
Using password managers like iCloud Keychain or 1Password keeps track of all your unique and strong passwords and is more secure than writing down your passwords on paper. Another measure to consider is using a password vault such as LastPass, which will create a high-strength password that is nearly impossible to guess. If you choose to create your own passwords, never use your social security number, phone number, address or other personally identifiable information.
Cloud Storage
Using a high-quality cloud service can be safer than using an in-house server which may become outdated quickly. It’s still vulnerable to attacks should someone obtain your password, but that’s a risk that would also be present with an in-house server. Select a cloud storage service that specializes in the storage of data that is specific to your business. Trusting your data to a cloud backup also eliminates the risk of physical backup drives being stolen.
