Our lives are becoming increasingly dependent on our gadgets. They are our gateways to the world, our workstations, and our personal assistants. However, with this convenience comes a responsibility – the responsibility of maintaining good device hygiene. This is especially crucial if you use your devices for work. Here’s why.
Imagine this scenario: you’re working from home and your child wants to play a game on your laptop. You might think there’s no harm in it, but think again. When your children use your work devices, they might unintentionally download malicious software or click on phishing links, compromising your work data and network.
Moreover, children might not understand the importance of privacy and could accidentally share sensitive information online. Therefore, it’s essential to keep your work and personal devices separate and not let your children use your work devices.
Let’s take TikTok as an example. It’s a popular app among youngsters and it’s likely installed on many employees’ personal phones. However, TikTok has been under review for its data privacy practices. If an employee uses a work phone to access TikTok, it could potentially expose sensitive company information.
Companies can mitigate this risk by implementing policies that block certain apps, like TikTok, from being installed on work devices. This not only protects the company’s data but also helps employees maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Maintaining good device hygiene is not just about keeping your devices physically clean; it’s also about keeping them digitally clean. Regularly updating your software, using strong, unique passwords and being mindful of the apps you download are all part of good device hygiene.
It’s crucial to remember that our devices are extensions of our personal and professional lives. By practising good device hygiene, we can protect ourselves and our companies from cyber threats.
Remember, cybersecurity starts with you.