Cybersecurity specialist James Feldkamp delivers a few insightful tips to help remote employees protect their information and their work when using the internet to complete tasks.
James Feldkamp has been an instrumental component in many security efforts of the Federal Government, having worked there for years on various levels of cybersecurity and national security projects. He’s become an expert at safeguarding information from online attacks and, below, shares a few tips to help remote workers protect their information online.
Back Up Your Files
Though it doesn’t exactly have to do with people stealing information, James Feldkamp says it’s very important to back up your files to either an external storage device or in cloud storage. Power outages, computer shutdowns, and a number of other unfortunate circumstances may cause remote employees to lose precious work, which may result in frustrating or serious consequences. Also, cyberattacks can affect computers in a number of ways, and it isn’t worth losing work progress, he says.
Perform Updates on Security Software
James Feldkamp tells us that malicious online attackers are always looking for new methods of sneaking around firewalls and other security measures. Security software is a tremendous benefit to people using the internet to work, but it’s only as good as its latest version. To protect against attackers, James Feldkamp suggests checking frequently for updates on security software.
Ensure Wifi is Secure
This may not be as big of a threat to people working from home, but it should still be considered. Without the proper settings (such as password protection), people in close vicinity to a router can use the internet as they see fit. Some can even use it to spy on information from other computers connected to it. Alternatively, for remote workers who use public wifi to complete tasks, they must ensure wifi connections are secure to keep information private. For most cases, James Feldkamp suggests using a virtual private network (VPN).
Use Encryption Tools for Sensitive Communications
Whenever remote workers communicate with their colleagues or leaders, if it’s work-related, the information is likely to be sensitive and at risk of being stolen. Security programs and computer applications tend to come with their own encryption settings, which remote workers can modify to improve their cybersecurity. Emails can be encrypted so that third parties will be unable to view the information even if it was intercepted. It’s wise to check where the encrypted information is being stored, too, to increase security efforts.
“There are other ways and alternative means for people working from home to protect their information when using the internet, but this is a good primer to cover the bases,” says James Feldkamp. “And now with more people working from home because of COVID-19 than ever, protecting sensitive information online has never been more important.”
