fbpx Skip to main content

Basic Cybersecurity Tips for the Workplace

By June 11, 2018Security
Cybersecurity tips for the workplace

In our increasingly Internet-connected world, all businesses now need to ensure their sensitive data and networks are secure. Human error is the biggest weakness that cyberattacks exploit, which means every person in the workplace has a role to play in security. Here are basic cybersecurity tips any employee should follow all the time and advice for protecting sensitive information in situations you may not have thought about before.

Safe Habits to Practice All the Time

Here are some tips for safe habits that any employee can start practicing today:

  1. Use strong passwords (longer is better!) and change them regularly.
  2. Keep your sensitive login credentials private.
  3. Be very wary of opening emails and attachments from sources that you don’t recognize.
  4. Don’t install software or connect hardware to your business’s network without permission.
  5. When working from home, make sure your Internet connection is secure.

Be Wary of Insider Threats to Security

A lot of basic cybersecurity tips and advice focuses on habits to protect against external threats – which is a necessary foundation – but not all security threats come from outside. Human beings in organizations are often threats as well, from accidents to negligence to malicious behavior.

How can employees pose a risk? Any user with network permissions can inadvertently delete or compromise data. This behavior is accidental, rather than malicious, but it can be just as bad. Then there’s negligence: sometimes employees violate security policies or best practices through well-intentioned but harmful actions or inattention.

And lastly, there are malicious insiders. The classic example is the fired employee who absconds with sensitive data to sell or who uses still-active login credentials to access and harm business accounts.

Any organization should take these sort of insider threats into account and plan security procedures accordingly.

Non-Technical Practices on the Go

Strong security isn’t just about the cyber domain of strong passwords, blocking malware, and managing permissions. You also safeguard sensitive information with physical security and cautious behavior. Here are some non-technical security tips:

  1. Keep an eye on your devices and never leave them with strangers.
  2. Look for privacy in places like airports and coffee shops. Sit where no one can see over your shoulder.
  3. Dim the screen on your device or get a privacy filter so it’s harder for strangers to see what’s on your device.
  4. Don’t discuss sensitive information in public areas or where people can eavesdrop on your conversation.
  5. Get a case to protect your devices. A sturdy case can cushion your device if dropped or protect it if something is spilled on it.

Sensitive Data on the Move

We live in a connected world where we must share sensitive, identifying information regularly in exchange for services. If you’re accessing government or medical services, you’ll be sharing your PII (Personally Identifying Information). If you’re shopping, you’re sharing your credit card number. And so on! Safely transferring and storing sensitive data affects us all.

How can you verify that you’re sharing and transferring sensitive data well? Follow these three steps:

  1. Verify the recipient. Don’t send to the wrong person! Take a minute to double-check the recipient before you hit “Send”.
  2. Verify the data. You don’t want to send the wrong data, even if it’s to the right person. Glance over your attached document one last time (did you attach the version with the least necessary sensitive information, for example?) and reread your email.
  3. Verify the method. Transfer data according to best practice or in line with your organization’s policies. Are you required to encrypt emails with PII? Make sure you’re doing that.

Recent Posts / View All Posts

business growth and expansion

The Role of Current Technology in Business Growth and Expansion

| Business Productivity, Managed Services, Security | No Comments
Business growth and expansion entail a lot of work in all the different areas—logistics, finance, research, and technology. Technology plays a key role because practically all aspects of business rely on it. In our last few blogs, we have been talking about some benefits that small business owners can get out of integrating the right technology into their business, especially during expansion, downsizing, or switching from a remote work setup to a hybrid work environment. Attracting and Retaining Talent for Business Growth and Expansion For any SMB, attracting and keeping enterprise talent is quite an achievement. But, of course, it…
How Your IT Company Affects Customers

For Better or For Worse: How Your IT Company Affects Your Customers

| Business Productivity, Managed Services | No Comments
How Your IT Company Affects Customers is very important to keep your business operations in good hands. Most processes today rely on technology, so you need a provider to keep up with the times and ensure everything goes smoothly. But do you realize how your choice of IT company also affects your customers? The level of customer satisfaction might be one of the most revealing gauges of how efficient your IT company is. How Your IT Company Helps Affect Your Delivery of Better Service to Customers Although your IT provider does not have direct contact with your customers, the tasks they take…
Self-Help Kiosks

Self-Help Kiosks vs. Human—The Pros and Cons

| Business Productivity, Managed Services | No Comments
Self-help kiosks are becoming more commonplace by the day. There used to be a time when a business would consider it extremely high-tech if they had touchscreen monitors installed. But today, you can find these kiosks in many establishments. A self-help kiosk is an interactive screen that gives information or provides a service with a simple touch. They are extremely versatile and used in a wide range of applications. They are popular in fast-food chains, bus stations, and banks. What Are the Pros of Self-help Kiosks? There are plenty of benefits to self-help kiosks, which is why companies are all…