Do you really want to read another article about Covid-19? Probably not. With the recent upsurge in home working suddenly everyone’s an expert on it! Many people have worked at home prior to the outbreak, it’s not hard, basically just make sure your laptop is near a kettle. Ok, well there may be security issues to think about too, so how about we conduct a very quick risk assessment to remind ourselves of the basics? Promise we won’t keep you long…
Risk No.1
Your organisation has a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) – but you don’t know how to access it from home!
Action:
Find out where it is, what you need to do if it is invoked, and whether there is a “calling tree” in the event of (an even bigger) emergency.
Risk No.2
Information on your desk might be seen by someone you are self-isolating with (we of course all trust our family members and friends, but to abide by GDPR they should not have access to any of your work data).
Action:
Adhere to a clear desk policy at home.
Risk No.3
You might get careless and start saving things on your desktop which might not get backed up and would be very quickly accessible to someone if you accidentally leave your screen unlocked!
Action:
Save information onto allocated and authorised drives.
Risk No.4
When you are on the phone to a client or work colleague, someone in the near vicinity might hear you talk about a sensitive or confidential matter!
Action:
Conduct certain calls in private rooms and do not talk too loudly!
Risk No.5
You have paperwork at home which you need to dispose of but don’t have a shredder!
Action:
Try not to print at home unless you really must, and then keep it secure until it can be appropriately disposed of.
Risk No.6
You are using an unauthorised email account which isn’t suitably protected, and those cyber criminals will have a field day.
Action:
Consult your IT as to how to securely send emails when at home.
So, now your risks are assessed and you can work more securely, you can go and enjoy that cup of tea!
Wishing you well. The Batalas Team