The Security Considerations Of Laptop Use In The Telecoms Industry

Keep your laptop protected.

Over the past few months and years, more and more people have begun to work from home. This also means many people now have laptops and computers filled with company information and data.

If you work in the telecoms or IT fields, you are probably aware of how important it is to keep this data as secure as possible. Here are a few ways to protect yourself without sacrificing laptop performance and not opening yourself up to a potential hack or data breach.

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Change Passwords Regularly

One of the easiest things you can do is to change your most important passwords regularly. More often than not, we use passwords that include some private information, such as a partner’s name or birth date.

This information can be found and figured out with patience and the right tools. Therefore, keep your passwords random and different for all your log-ins, and change them monthly or bi-monthly. In addition, store them the old-school way by writing them down and sticking them in a drawer; don’t save them as a note on your phone or laptop.

Update Often

While laptop and software updates can be tedious, they are essential for maintaining safety. These updates often fix any bugs or potential “holes” in the security discovered by the software creators.

If you can schedule them, update when you don’t need to use your laptop, but always ensure you don’t miss out on anything. Plus, regular updates will also ensure your laptop continues to perform at or close to its best.

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Don’t Use Unsecured Networks

While working at a coffee shop or library can be enjoyable and productive, and it can be hard to turn down free internet, don’t be tempted by it. More often than not, these establishments don’t put much effort into keeping these networks secure.

Once again, with the right tools, it isn’t hard for data thieves to use these networks to access connected devices. Instead, use the data from your smartphone or a dongle you own that is password protected.

Encrypt Important Data

If you are storing a lot of sensitive or important information on your system, it is essential to keep it encrypted. Encryption is a simple yet effective method of protecting data and will make it much harder for data thieves to access it.

In simple terms, encryption is the process of making data unreadable, and it can only be readable again if you possess and use a key. While this won’t always stop the data from being stolen, it will make it near-impossible for it to be read and used.

Secure Remote Access Solutions

Working from home means employees and company partners need access to data and programs from wherever they may be. The one caveat is that this can be a security risk, and breaches can be common and sometimes very effective.

A remote access solution, such as a VPN, would allow the access that a company and its employees need without sacrificing the security of the network and data.

Use an Antivirus

An antivirus has been one of the best ways to protect your laptop and computer for many years now for a reason. They are simple and effective at spotting a virus or Trojan and have the tools to deal with it quickly and efficiently.

If your company has not provided an antivirus, ensure you purchase one of the better ones on the market. Much like running updates, antiviruses need them, too; always keep them updated and running their best.

If you receive any suspicious emails or need to use an unfamiliar program or website, it is best to run the antivirus before and after using them in case of a problem.

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Keep Data Backups

In the event of a data breach, there is a chance that your laptop and system may need to be cleaned up and restored. This can often lead to loss of data that cannot be easily recovered, if it can be recovered at all.

Backing up data can be done very regularly, and it can be stored in the cloud. This means it is constantly protected and can be downloaded to your laptop if or when needed.