Ten steps employees should follow to protect your company’s data.
1. Do not open emails in the Spam Folder. That would defeat the purpose of quarantining suspect emails.
2. Promptly install patches and updates to your programs. Automatic updates will keep your applications free of flaws making it difficult for hackers to exploit.
3. Do not open email attachments that look suspicious. Important documents can be sent through a file-sharing service. A secure file-sharing service is a safer way of sharing files.
4. Avoid using portable drives to transfer files. They get infected easily with malware and can spread fast to other devices. Chances of losing the flash or portable drives are higher. A data recovery tool can gain access to the files.
5. Follow the Acceptable use policies implemented by your organization. Circumventing firewalls to browse the Internet exposes your network to malware infection and hacker intrusion.
6. Do not post company confidential information on social media. Using social media for marketing purposes is different from any employee posting your organization’s information.
7. Do not link your mobile phone to your company computers. It may sound silly especially if you are just charging your device. The cable you use also supports data exchange. Malware can get into your computer through this link. Do not use your mobile device to enter the computer network. The best rule is to avoid connecting personal devices to your company network.
8. Do not install unapproved software or application on your work devices.
9. Do not download information via the Internet or file exchange services on to your computer. This includes music files and any type of personal files.
10. Do not believe everything you see and read online. There is too much misinformation so always check the source. “You need to see the Internet as a source of information, not as a source of fact.” says the Global Knowledge whitepaper on this. Avoid re-posting if you are doubtful about the source.
It is best to understand and follow the company’s guidelines and policies. This helps with avoiding security issues later pointing fingers at you.
Omega can work with your organization on creating your policies and procedures for sustainable data security. Contact Omega at Security@OmegaSecure.com or call 636-557-7777.
Refer to the whitepaper by Global knowledge for more information.
