REMOTE WORKING
Helpful tips for working remotely
How To Stay Safe
The first step when setting yourself up to work from home, is making sure that your system is set up safely and securely:
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- It’s all about location, location, location—ensure your computer monitor is not positioned in front of open windows where passers by may see your confidential information or overhear private telephone calls. Consider using headsets rather than speakers.
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- Ensure that your work computer is only used by you during work. You wouldn’t want information to be sent or deleted by mistake.
- Ensure you have an automatic screen lock in place so that when you go to make that cup of coffee and forget to lock your screen it does it automatically.
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- If you are on a shared device with family ensure you all have individual log-ins and strong passwords.
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- Make sure you keep your anti-virus up to date and install patches and updates when released. At Giotech we can manage this process for you.
- Log out and shut down at the end of the day.
Most importantly—do NOT download any new or unknown software such as “Corona Trackers” or “Free” Conference Software. Stick to well known, secure apps such as MS Teams, Google Hangout, Zoom etc. Consider setting a separate Admin password so that if anything attempts to download it will prompt you to enter a password. This will stop you downloading things by mistake.
10 TIPS TO HELP
YOU WORK REMOTELY
We have also seen an increase in phishing and spam emails during this period. To avoid, follow our Top 10 tips:
TIP 1
Who is the email from? Do you know the sender—is the email from a genuine company or a generic account such as Hotmail/Gmail etc. If in doubt contact the sender of the email (via a different communication method) to confirm authenticity.
TIP 2
Who is the email to? If it has been sent to itself and you are BCC’d in, this is a warning flag that the email has been sent to multiple recipients.
TIP 3
What is the subject? Is it Re: Ref: a conversation you haven’t had or is it trying to force an action out of you such as “Urgent”?
TIP 4
When has the email been sent? Very few organisations send genuine emails in the middle of the night (although time zone differences may prompt emails out of hours) Phishing emails try and play on the amount of emails you receive before you start work in the morning.
TIP 5
What does the email contain? Are there links? If there is a hyperlink hold the cursor over the link and press the control key—this will show the destination of the link. If it does not look genuine, don’t click on it.
TIP 6
A sense of urgency. Does the email play on emotions such as threatening to close an account down or does it have incentives such as “win a free….” This is a key tactic to get users to click a link.
TIP 7
Are there attachments? Is the attachment relevant to the email and is it in a secure file formal? If not, contact the sender to check the authenticity.
TIP 8
Is the person real? Can you contact them? If they do not have a signature with a contact number/ address to validate them this is a warning.
TIP 9
Is the spelling and grammar correct? Business are careful about their branding and will check spelling and grammar in emails sent out. If the spelling or grammar is not right, this is a flag.
TIP 10
If you do click a link where does it take you? Is it a stand alone website not linked to a Company domain (I,e, a Wix account) Is there a cookies policy / privacy policy? If not, this is a warning flag. If the website is asking for E-Commerce details make sure it is secured with an SSL certificate—you will see a padlock icon if it is.
If in any doubt—DO NOT click on any links. Contact the sender via an alternative method and check the authenticity of the email. Genuine senders will not be annoyed by this as they take your security as seriously as you do.
HELP GUIDE
- You can Download a handout of the Top 10 tips for spotting a phishing email
- At Giotech we can assist with a wide range of support and training for remote workers or spotting phishing emails. If this is of interest to you, please get in touch.