In the wake of COVID-19, cybercriminals have been quick to exploit the sudden increase in remote workers. Haphazard, makeshift or non-existent cybersecurity has left many businesses unprotected. However, small businesses are particularly underprepared for the abrupt shift. Cybersecurity is often low priority for small and medium businesses who need to focus on maintaining positive cash flow and simply keeping their doors open. These companies are even more vulnerable than their larger enterprise counterparts as they lack the financial resources to pay high ransoms required by cybercriminals or recover from security breaches. For many, a cyberattack is a one and done proposition.
COVID-19 themed phishing emails and websites and apps hiding malware designed to steal information are on the rise. Ransomware has also been detected. As cybercriminals up the ante, the principal risk to remote workers is that of personal data and identity compromise. While larger enterprises can enforce a division between “work” and “personal” computer devices, smaller organizations are more likely to favor BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).
Protecting personal accounts and identity does not need to be a huge cost. Solid cybersecurity is a matter of protecting the home computers employees are using, such as desktops, laptops and smartphones. A VPN (virtual private network) is a simple way to create a secure work environment. A VPN creates a secure data tunnel from an end-user device into a company network. Every employee should connect to the internet through a VPN. Learn more about the risks of working from home, as well as how to protect your business, in the infographic below.
During the uncertain time of the coronavirus pandemic, small businesses that need assistance managing their cybersecurity are able to take advantage of a free, three-month minimum BullGuard Small Office Security license offered by BullGuard. There are zero financial obligations and no credit card information is required. The software supports up to 50 Windows, Mac and Android devices. Business owners can download the free trial here.
Infographic Source: BullGuard
This article was written for Business 2 Community by Paul Lipman.
Learn how to publish your content on B2C
Join our Telegram channel to stay up to date on breaking news coverage
Add B2C to your Google News Feed
A couple of days ago, I read an article that said talked about COVID-19 themed phishing emails and how Gmail blocked around 18M of them. These are some crazy numbers. I think that people don’t realize how many threats there are during this time and how risky it is to work from home without securing your devices. I actually use Surfshark VPN and Avast antivirus, but I wonder if there are any other measures I can take?
Good cyber-hygiene is important to keep yourself safe. In addition to a VPN and antivirus you should 1) always check the URL of sites that you visit to help ensure that you are getting what you expect, 2) don’t click links in emails or open attachments, but if you really can’t avoid it then always verify the sender’s address and URL before doing so, 3) frequently backup your data to a cloud-based service, or to a network drive that you keep otherwise disconnected – that way if you fall victim to ransomware, you’ll be able to re-image and restore from the backup.