With remote and hybrid work becoming part of the contemporary workplace, most of us are getting tasks done at cafes, hotels, airports, and other public places. Although it is easier to connect to the Wi-Fi offered by the general public, it also exposes personal and company information to significant threats. These are the threats you need to know about and how to keep yourself safe to protect our information, regardless of where you go to work.
Why Public Wi-Fi is dangerous
It might sound like the harm is not that big; however, public Wi-Fi can leave your device and your company network vulnerable to some severe security risks. Here’s why:
- Absence of Encryption: The majority of the public networks do not encrypt your data, which means that anyone around could get there intercept what you are sending or get, be it emails or a password to your account.
- Fake Hotspots: There are malicious networks with names similar to actual cafes or airports (e.g., “FreeAirportWiFi”) that entice users to connect. After connecting, they are able to spy or steal your information.
- Data Interception: Unless you have protection, attackers can overhear your online traffic and record valuable information, including company documents, passwords, or client information.
- Man-in-the-Middle Attacks: Hackers may literally sit between your computer and the internet and tamper with communications, or even plant malware without your ability to detect it.
- Auto-Connection: Automatic connections: Numerous devices reconnect to familiar networks. This will allow one to easily connect to a malicious network whose name one understands without suspicion.
- Business Impact: One unsafe connection can result in identity theft, data breach or unauthorised access to internal systems -endangering personal and company information.
Use a VPN to Protect Company Data
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) should be used when accessing the internet when not present at the office. VPN will secure the connection and provide you with a protective tunnel between your computer and the company systems. This makes sure that no one on the same network can access your data and or interfere with it.
If you use an Apple device, remember to install a VPN for iPhone to secure your connection to email, internal systems, and files shared with others.
Strengthen Account Security
Even strong passwords may be stolen. That is why we suggest enable two-factor authentication (2FA) across all work platforms. With 2FA, you will identify yourself by means of a one-time code, which will be sent to your phone as an additional authentication measure, so the attackers will hardly be able to crack it, even with your password.
Smart Public Wi-Fi Practices
To mitigate the dangers of remote working, follow the following habits of safe connections:
- Only reliable, verified Wi-Fi networks should be connected.
- Be careful not to access or post personal or monetary information on the open networks.
- Turn off the auto-connect feature on your device to avoid unintentional logins.
- Quit the accounts when you are done with them.
- Where available, consider using your mobile hotspot, as opposed to the Wi-Fi.
Conclusion
The shared responsibility is cybersecurity. Through VPN, 2FA, and smart Wi-Fi, each employee will make our online space safe. These precautions will make remote work hassle-free, efficient, and secure for all.
Should you require assistance with installing your VPN or 2FA, you can contact IT Support or the HR Team.
Guest writer
