Working from home cyber security


Working from home has now become the normal for lots of people in the world. When you work from home, you are in charge of your own IT infrastructure, in this article I will show you some tips on keeping your setup secure.

Ethernet DMZ

Network

Make sure you use Ethernet rather than Wi-Fi. Ethernet is fast, stable, secure and has less latency than using Wi-Fi. If you have no choice but to use Wi-Fi, make sure you use a router or access point what supports WPA3 which is more secure than WPA2, create a separate work network, hide the SSID, use 5 GHz frequency and lower the transmit power. Also, change your Wi-Fi password at least once per month using a strong long password which is not used anywhere else.

Firewall

Create a separate network for home and work and firewall the work network into a DMZ (demilitarized zone), this can be done on Ethernet and Wi-Fi, you will need to search for a how-to specific to what equipment you are using. Create firewall rules on the work network to block your home network and your router/access point web configuration ports. Create firewall rules on your home network to block your work network and limit access to your router/access point web configuration ports. If something breaks into your home network, your work network will not be accessible, if something breaks into your work network, your home network will not be accessible. Make sure you do not use a VPN on the WAN side on your work network because your work will likely use one already, running through 2x VPNS is not a good idea.

Fail-safe

It is worth investing in a 4G/5G modem so you still have temporary internet access if your main internet goes down, remember to apply the same DMZ firewall rules mentioned above to this network. This should never be used as your primary internet connection because it can be unstable with inconsistent fluctuating speeds and latency. Depending on how much data you use, it could be expensive to run.

Webcam

Make sure you use a webcam what has a light built in when its active, and cover it when its not in use.

Headset

Always keep in mind that your headset, some webcams and laptop have mics built in, so be wary what you say even if your not in a meeting..

Laptop

Only use your work laptop for work only, never use it for anything personal. When you have finished working on your work laptop, shut it down, unplug everything and put it back in its laptop bag and put it somewhere safe, secure and out the way in your home.

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