Protect your meetings and devices with strong passwords

Protecting your devices with a strong password is a no brainer. But did you know that it is also essential to password protect your meetings as well? During your online meetings, you’re likely to be sharing sensitive data, or discussing about your upcoming business plans which are private and confidential. Therefore, password-protected meeting is a simple and effective way to keep unwanted guests out and your meetings secure. Using a random password generator, it is recommended that a unique password is created for each meeting participant. However, if that is not feasible, creating a unique password for each meeting is also a valid alternative.

Lock your meetings down

You should practice “locking” your virtual meeting room once a session has begun and all invited guests are in attendance to prevent outsiders from joining, should meeting IDs or passwords get leaked. This tip is a particularly useful tool for larger meetings where infiltrators could potentially sneak in without notice. However, before you implement this tool, be sure to notify your team so intended guests are not accidentally left out.

Standardise meeting tools/platforms

Communication is critical while we’re working in office, and even more so while working remotely. Therefore, standardising meetings with the implementation of cybersecurity best practices is an important element to overall business security. Virtual meeting tools such as Zoom and Skype for Business offer excellent substitutes for in-person meetings while everyone is working from home. However, these tools are still susceptible to vulnerabilities and should be used only with proper security measures in place.

Avoid file sharing

The file-sharing feature of meetings may be convenient, but it presents a significant cybersecurity and data leak risk. Instead, opt to share sensitive or confidential materials through trusted, and encrypted sources such as Google Drive. Also, as a receiver, be aware of who’s sending you these files and avoid opening anything coming from an unrecognised source.

Update software

Application and security updates aren’t just about the latest features or device speed. Rather, developers are continuously improving and updating software security to combat cybercriminals’ similar continuous advancements. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that all remote employees’ devices are equipped with automatic updates in addition to regularly deploying updated patches. This is even more crucial during such trying times where your IT team may not be able to physically access company hardware for an extended period of time, thereby relying solely on automatic updates.

Regardless of your job duties, it is important to account for all devices used to access sensitive and private data. Mobile device management software, for example, may be easily overlooked but holds equally high importance in terms of cybersecurity. For those using company-owned mobile devices, maintenance best practices include remote wiping of devices, strong password enforcement, data encryption enforcement, and limitations on software and app installation.