How to be security-savvy when working remotely

Do you work from home?

Or maybe you travel for work?

With all the digital tools at our fingertips, many of us find ourselves working remotely from time-to-time.

But whether it’s connecting from home while waiting for the plumber, or checking emails from the airport, taking advantage of these opportunities can lead to increased cyber security risk.

Five important ways to stay safe when working outside the office:

Protect your wi-fi network

In the same way we protect our houses with locks and keys, we need to protect our wireless networks with strong passwords.

If a hacker gains access to your personal wi-fi network, they can:

• access your private, personal information
• install unwanted applications or software
• control your devices (e.g. play music)
• interfere with your browser to show different content.

Connecting an ACU computer to an unsecured wireless network makes it vulnerable, and a hacker could gain access to important ACU files, data, or systems.

Instructions for adding a wireless password to your network vary from modem to modem, but you can try following these basic steps to get you started. Make sure to select WPA2 as the most secure network type for home computers.

Limit personal browsing on ACU computers

Although the ACU Acceptable Use of IT policy allows for limited use of ACU computers for personal reasons, browsing the Internet leaves devices more open for attack.

When using your ACU computer outside of an ACU network, limit your personal browsing as much as possible to reduce the risk of being targeted for a cyber attack.

Keep your computer to yourself

It may seem harmless to let friends or relatives use your ACU computer occasionally. But other people may not have the same level of cyber security awareness as you, and may accidentally engage in unsafe behaviours that can leave ACU at risk.

Where possible, it’s recommended to reserve your ACU computer for your own use.

Protect your privacy in public places

If you work from a café, airport, or other public place, be extra vigilant around the physical location and exposure of your work devices. If you leave your table, take your device with you or lock the screen, as a minimum. Also be aware of how visible your screen is to those around you and what data is being made available to any interested parties.

Try not to use unsecured wireless networks, but if you do have to, you can use the ACU VPN as an extra layer of protection. A hotspot from your phone is a better choice than an unsecured network but is still not secure so remain on guard.

Keep your laptop up-to-date

When working from home, it’s best to use your ACU IT device as it is protected by ACU IT cyber security technology. ACU IT regularly sends out updates to all ACU computers, responding to new threats or vulnerabilities as they occur.

ACU computers need to be connected to the ACU network at least once a month for approximately an hour to receive updates. Please make sure to connect your ACU computer to the network regularly to allow these updates to be installed.

If you’d like more information on staying safe when working remotely, enrol in our free ‘Working from Home’ cyber security training by logging a ticket with Service Central.

You can also join our Workplace Cyber Security group for up-to-date tips and information.