Prevent cybercrime when working form home

20 Mar 2020

Due to the corona virus, a lot of people work from home. Although it takes some getting used to for many, this offers new opportunities. Employees become more creative and come up with new ways of working together, especially via the internet. Unfortunately, cyber criminals make use of the unfamiliarity and inexperience with this. It is therefore important to make your employees aware of this.

Working from home on the digital highway

Wherever possible, companies facilitate working from home. ICT companies help to ensure that home workstations are furnished as well and safely as possible. Business Skype, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Webex, Facetime. They are popular tools that are widely used to keep the daily work going as much as possible.

Extra attention to digital security

These (major) technical adjustments lead to other online work situations. Situations that many people have little experience with. Cyber ​​security deserves extra attention, especially now.

Coronaphishing

The new term "Coronaphishing" has already been introduced. Cyber ​​criminals take advantage of current events in various ways. They impersonate governments, (fake) companies or employers via emails (phishing) and text messages (smishing). To inflict damage, obtain information and all kinds of other reasons to gain financial gain from this. They also pretend to be RIVM and send "infected" emails in the hope of getting as much malware installed as possible.

Prevent cybercrime

In order to prevent your organization from becoming a victim of cyber criminals, it is important to properly inform the employees who work from home. You can do this by drawing up a "game rule". To help you with this, we have listed a number of them for you:

• Only use a company laptop
• Use a secure, preferably VPN connection
• Use only company approved communication tools
• Make two-factor authentication mandatory
• Do not store files outside the corporate environment
• Delete emails asking to click on links or open attachments from senders you don't know. Also delete them directly from the "Deleted Items" folder.
• Delete emails from banks or other financial institutions asking to click on links or open attachments with references to overdue passes, ready payments, and the like. Also delete them directly from the "Deleted Items" folder.
• Do you not trust an email or link? Call the person who appears to have sent it to check if it is correct.
• Do you get a link to work from home? Companies generally do not. Do not fall for this unless it has been explicitly agreed. Check your company's emergency protocols or ask your manager.
• Never just click on images.

We advise you to keep an eye on emails, text messages and other forms of contact whose content you do not trust. One message is more sophisticated than the other. If in doubt, you prefer to contact your company's IT department once too much.

Beware of your digital security but above all your health!