With millions of Australians now working from home to maintain social isolation, a QUT expert is warning employees and employers to ensure they exercise the highest level of ‘cyber hygiene’.
“Working remotely to access corporate systems is the new normal,” said Dr Leonie Simpson, a cyber security specialist with QUT’s School of Computer Science.
- Check before you click
- Keep a hardcopy list of important phone numbers, including the IT helpdesk
- Be security/privacy aware with video conferencing, including what your background reveals
- Never give out personal information like passwords, banking details etc
- Never open a link or file from an unknown source
“This has all happened very quickly and many of us are using software and systems that we are unfamiliar with. We are receiving more email and requests for teleconferences. And we may be working in a space shared with kids and/or housemates, and the accompanying distractions.
“All of these factors present a perfect opportunity for scammers and cyber criminals to gain access to our digital assets, and one of the biggest threats we face when working from home is phishing.
