The days of doing all of one’s work at an office have long since passed. With technological progress, you can do most of the work from a remote location. It allows you to go on vacation anytime without affecting your work. It’s common to work from another location these days. However, data security has become a matter of concern. The incidents of data breaches have been increasing at an alarming rate hurting individuals and businesses a significant amount of money every year. According to a Cybercrime Magazine report, cybercrime may cost about $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. That’s why company data security has become a concern these days. It becomes even more critical when you are traveling. This article discusses how to secure your company’s data while traveling.

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Top 9 Tips to Ensure Company Data Security While Travelling

Stay away from public Wi-Fi 

Internet connectivity while traveling is a major problem, which can affect your work. You may look for readily available options to connect to the Internet. However, free hotspots in airports, railway stations, restaurants, and other public spaces may not be secure, and your data can be compromised. Attackers always look for people using public Wi-Fi and try to access the data you send using those networks. 

If you still have to use a public hotspot, ensure you only use the secured sites. Websites with “HTTPS” are more secure, and the chances of vulnerability are much lower. Besides that, it’s better to avoid financial transactions or sending sensitive data using a public hotspot.

Disable automatic connection for your devices

Whether at home or in the office, our phones, laptops, tablets, and other Internet-enabled devices are always connected to Wi-Fi. It is fine as long as you are at home or the office, but when you are traveling, you should turn off the auto-connect option. You may not be aware, but your device will get connected to an unsecured network. It increases cyber risks, and any criminals may access your computer without your knowledge. Before traveling anywhere, it’s better to turn off the auto-connect feature to ensure company data security.

Keep the operating system and other applications up-to-date

Operating systems play a critical role in securing data on your system and the company database. Every operating system has some in-built security features that protect your computer. Device manufacturers release the latest security updates for operating systems regularly, which significantly reduces cyber risks. Install the latest security patches before you leave the country. Apart from this, update other applications on your device to ensure you have the latest version.

Use Anti-Virus Software for Increased Company Data Security

Viruses and malware can attack your computer or mobile phone. So it’s better to be prepared and take security measures. Anti-virus is critical in ensuring company data security by preventing malware attacks. It runs in the background and scans your computer regularly. Whenever the antivirus detects a threat, it isolates the infected file, displays a warning and deletes the malicious code, and protects your device. It also protects your email inbox and warns you against an attachment containing harmful content. For an initial layer of defense, consider trying free antivirus software.

Disable Bluetooth

Bluetooth is an excellent way to connect nearby devices to your computer to send and receive files. Connecting another device is very easy using this feature. However, it often becomes a way to get access to another device. Cybercriminals are always busy looking to connect devices through Bluetooth to access sensitive data. They can connect to your computer and steal company data or install malware on your device. Connecting a device through Bluetooth is easy, and anyone with malicious intentions can do that. So, you must turn off Bluetooth for company data security while traveling.

Don’t use public computers to maximize company data security

Many public places like hotels, libraries, and internet cafes allow using public computers these days. If you don’t carry your device, you may be tempted to use them to do some urgent work. Using those computers can be a threat to company data security. These computers may not have anti-virus or the latest security features installed. You never know when hackers could install keyloggers, and malware to steal your login credentials, credit card information, or other sensitive details. So, always avoid using any public computer. 

Download software only from an authentic source

Downloading software from an unknown source can be a threat to company data security. When working from a remote location, you may need to download numerous applications to communicate, attend meetings, or do other work. Look for a code signing certificate when downloading an application. It ensures it is authentic software and the code has not been tampered with. Similarly, if your customers download any of your applications, they also want to confirm it’s original. Using a Comodo code signing certificate assures users that the software is genuine and the code is protected.

Use strong password

Passwords are a way to protect your device from unauthorized access, but do you know a weak password can be a threat to your company’s data security while traveling? Whether it is your device or any application, you should always use a strong password to ensure no unauthorized person can access your device or log in to your company account. 

Many people use random easily memorable passwords like 123456, abcdef, etc., which a criminal can crack easily. You may not be aware, but hackers have a dictionary of common passwords and try to gain access to devices or applications using them. So what is a strong password? It should be at least 12 characters and a combination of upper and lowercase alphabets, numbers, and special characters. Don’t use your name, or date of birth in the password because anyone can know them.

Take a backup of data for company data security

Even though you take all the possible measures for data security while traveling. However, it is wise to back up critical data to ensure you don’t lose it under any circumstances. Backing up data to another device or cloud before traveling will keep the data safe even if you lose the device or some hacker gets access to the data.

Conclusion: 

Remote working has given us the freedom to work from any location. You can go on a vacation while working or extend your vacation without affecting the work. However, Company data security is a concern when you are in another location. A small mistake can cost your company dearly. 

So, you must take all the security measures to safeguard the company’s data. We have discussed the top ten security measures to protect data, especially when you are traveling. Follow them and enjoy working from a remote location without any hassle.