10 Ways to Secure Your Home in the Remote Working Era

By  //  May 25, 2022

Working from home has done interesting things to home security. It has moved a ton of priority to the computer, and one’s ability to secure their electronics. It has also meant that more and more documents critical to a person’s workplace are kept at home.

In short, there is simply more value inside one’s living space than before peoples started working at home. This value is important to protect; if a thief comes in and steals a confidential report on your company’s finance from your desk, that can be worse than them stealing cash.

The worst-case scenarios are rampant, but even putting those aside you will find that things have changed since a few years ago. Even if you do not have sensitive documents or resources for work in your home, the work-from-home era means thieves will think you do anyways. 

However you cut it, you have more incentive than ever to employ some home security in Melissa. But how do you do that? What are the best methods? And how do they work? Let’s look at 10 ways to secure your home in the remote working era.

Start with Your Router

The best place to start with security is making sure your router is secure. That means knowing it has a password, knowing how to change that password, and perhaps most importantly knowing when someone tries to access it without your permission.

That means getting software on one or more of your devices that monitors your router. You can even get security software that automatically changes the password when there are too many failed login attempts. Do not worry, it will send you an email with the new password eventually.

Buy a Webcam Cover

The issue with webcams is not that they are insecure by themselves. The issue is that they make any given security breach much worse. There are tons of things someone with access to your webcam can do. They can tell when you are home and when you are not, for instance. 

Some programs can use the sound of your typing picked up through the webcam mic to figure out what you are typing, thereby giving them access to passwords and personal emails. The list goes on and on. But all you have to do is cover the webcam when it is not in use to stop this.

Get a VPN

A VPN is a great way to manage your internet security in a number of ways. The most important way is by making sure that ads on websites cannot call sensitive information from your computer. If you are working from home, the information they get might be much more sensitive.

Get an Alarm System

This is one of the best home security steps you can take, as it is designed to be easy to approach. An alarm system can alert the police, but its main function is letting thieves know that if they break into your house, they are on the clock. That will dissuade most intruders.

Store Work Tools in a Safe

While this is less intuitive than getting an alarm, it is far more secure. Many businesses that are comfortable letting you work from home can easily be convinced to buy you a safe for storing documents and electronics related to work, as they can write it off as an expense.

It also means that no matter what happens with the rest of your security systems, your sensitive work documents and devices will be secure within several inches of steel.

Safety Locks for Doors and Windows

You will probably get these more for windows than doors, as safety locks can sometimes end up being a little too secure. What is a safety lock? It is a lock that goes on top of your lock that basically ensures that it cannot be opened no matter what, even with a key. 

There is a saying in home security: Locks only stop honest people. Safety locks stop everyone.

Use Two Factor Authentication

Two factor authentication is so easy to use and common that people will sometimes forget that it is one of the better advancements in security measures out of the last ten years. If you want your two factor authentication to be really good, then get a third party app for it. 

Most apps have their own two factor authentication, but those have the downside of having pretty well-known security protocols. Third party apps can be unexpected and unpredictable.

Turn off Bluetooth

Please, please, please turn off Bluetooth to keep your work devices secure. There are few conveniences that Bluetooth provides that are worth the massive security breaches that it invites. The issue is that the security protocols for Bluetooth devices are notoriously bad.

That means if your work device can receive Bluetooth connections, then it is vulnerable to hostile connections that will not be well regulated.

Get Security Cameras

This is pretty high on the difficulty spectrum as far as security measures go. You have to install the security cameras, and then you have to upkeep them after. But it is all worth it to have a constant eye on your environment. All the same, it is a pretty extreme measure.

Get these security features if your property is big enough to justify them, or if you can reasonably expect there to be unwelcome visitors in or around your home.

Encrypt Devices

Many employers will provide encryption tools if they give you a device. If they do not, then seek out one for yourself, as they are critical to making sure your devices do not send sensitive data that is easy to steal. 

Conclusion

Working from home can produce some security risks, but those security risks are far from impossible to manage. As long as you know exactly how one might connect to your devices and who has physical access to them, you should be able to figure out what security you need.