If you do work from home or a remote job, then cyber security is one of the most significant factors to consider while delivering your job. A report suggests that 43% of all cyber attacks happen against freelancers and (Small Medium Businesses) SMBs.
Freelancing means working from anywhere with the ease of comfort, i.e., at home office, café, or while traveling to work from the resort. While working from anywhere, freelancers somehow start using public Wi-Fi, which is used by many strangers. Mostly shared public network is more vulnerable and easy target for cybercriminals. In such situations, you need to secure your data over Wi-Fi.
In this article, learn the four most important cybersecurity tips for freelancers.
Table of Contents
Use Virtual Private Network VPN
A virtual Private Network or VPN is a private encrypted connection which means that your personal information, location, and IP address are hidden. The use of a VPN helps users to secure data over Wi-Fi. Also, there is a plus point of using a VPN — it provides faster internet connections and a secure file-sharing option.
Use Strong Password and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Always create a strong password, and don’t use a similar password for multiple logins. However, it’s usually safer to use a password manager. A password manager is an application that automatically produces complex passwords and keeps them for later access. You can access it later on with the help of a single master password.
The most popular password managers in the market are LastPass, Dashlane, and 1Password. These solutions also provide multi-factor authentication (MFA) option when you log in.
Use Best Quality Antivirus Software
As a freelancer, you can use high-quality antivirus software in your system to prevent any malware from being installed on your device to steal your data. While looking for good antivirus software, you can look for these features:
- Email filtering
- Advanced malware detection
- Low RAM usage
- Better customer support
Accept Secure Payments
Many freelancers make a mistake while taking payment from their clients, moving the conversation out of the work marketplace like UpWork or Freelancer.com. These platforms have a secure payment gateway that helps freelances to accept payment without any hassle. Or, if you are working with your clients out of these platforms, you can use PayPal or Payoneer for safe transactions.
Update Your Software Regularly
Checking the software version in your system is a good practice that ensures you are not using any old software versions. Make it a habit to check for new updates regularly and turn on the auto-update feature on your device. You can even use an updated web plugin to stop cyber threats.
Follow the 3-2-1 Backup Method
As a freelancer, if you always want to protect your important files and documents from cyberattacks. The 3-2-1 backup method is the best choice to follow.
- You need to keep three copies of a document
- Saved in 2 different locations
- Having at least one external backup
